Introduction
Metallurgical by-products recovery, particularly gold recovery, is becoming increasingly important. This is due to the wide variety of sources of gold. For example, gold can be produced from precious metal scrap or old jewelry, or it can be obtained from ore deposits. In both cases, gold recovery involves the removal of the gold from other impurities and metals present.
Metallurgical by-products are the materials obtained after the process of smelting and refining of metals. These by-products can include items such as slag, ashes, dross and clinker, as well as other metals, including gold. The gold that can be recovered from these materials is called pyrometallurgical gold.
The recovery of gold from metallurgical by-products is an important process. It involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques to separate the gold from the impurities. In some cases, the gold is smelted, while in others the gold is simply educed from the material through physical techniques, such as gravity separation. The process of recovering the gold from the metallurgical by-products is known as metallurgical gold recovery.
Metallurgical Gold Recovery Processes
The most common processes used to recover gold from metallurgical by-products are smelting, gravity separation and flotation.
Smelting is used to separate the gold from other metals present in the material. It is typically done in a furnace, where temperatures of up to 2000°C can be achieved. During the process, the gold is heated to a specific temperature and allowed to react with oxygen, which results in its separation from the other metals. It is then collected and refined.
Gravity separation is another method of recovering gold from metallurgical by-products. It involves the use of specialised equipment such as shaking tables or jigs to physically separate the gold particles from other impurities. It is often used to recover gold from old jewelry or from ore deposits.
Flotation is a process used to recover gold from ore deposits. During the process, air bubbles are used to separate the gold particles from the rock. The bubbles attach themselves to the gold particles and float them up to the surface, where they can then be collected.
Conclusion
Metallurgical by-products recovery, especially gold recovery, is an important process that can be used to extract valuable gold from ore deposits or old jewelry. It involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques, such as smelting, gravity separation and flotation. These processes can be used to separate the gold from the other impurities present, allowing it to be recovered and refined.
