Recovering Cyanide From Gold Plant Tailings
Abstract
This paper presents a review of the alternative processes analysis, which recovered cyanide from gold plant tailings. The alternative processes considered in this paper include biological treatment, chemical treatment and other processes. The discussion focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative process, in addition to their impact on costs, recovery rates and other process parameters. The current status and recent developments of the various alternative processes are discussed in this paper.
Introduction
Recovering cyanide from gold plant tailings, or cyanide-containing solutions from plant processes, is a hazardous waste management challenge for all stakeholders concerned. Cyanide-containing solutions can be generated from numerous ways, such as from a neutralizing reaction of acid spent solutions, during leaching processes, or simply by storing cyanide over prolonged periods. The presence of cyanide in these solutions can be hazardous to human health, plants and animals, thus processes are needed to recover and safely process these solutions.
Alternative Processes Available
The three alternative processes available for recovering cyanide from gold plant tailings are biological treatment, chemical treatment, and other processes such as adsorption and membrane-based processes.
Biological Treatment
Biological treatment processes, such as bioremediation, are increasingly an alternative process for recovering and treating cyanide in gold plant tailings. This is because this type of process is safe, cheap, and highly effective for removing and continuously recycling cyanide from gold plant tailings. Bioremediation processes involve the use of microbial cultures and enzymes that degrade and mineralize the cyanide. The process typically operates at near-neutral pH and high temperatures, and is ecologically friendly.
Chemical Treatment
Chemical treatment processes, such as electrochemical precipitation, rely on adding a dilute electrolyte solution to the cyanide-containing solution to precipitate out more than 99.5% of the cyanide compounds. The electrolyte-containing solution is then extracted, separated and processed for reuse. The advantage of using this process for recovering cyanide is that it is relatively cheap and efficient, requiring minimal energy and chemical input. However, it is important to note that the process is not as effective for treating high concentrations of cyanide-containing solutions, as the recovery rate is decreased.
Other Processes
Adsorption and membrane-based processes are also available for recovering cyanide from gold plant tailings. These processes involve the use of highly specialized adsorbents or membranes that selectively absorb or remove the cyanide from the solution. The advantage of using these processes is that they are relatively cheap, efficient and require minimal energy input. However, the disadvantages are that the recovery rates are much lower than those of the chemical and biological treatment processes discussed above. Furthermore, these processes are more complex, requiring more time and labor to operate and maintain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, recovering cyanide from gold plant tailings is a hazardous waste management challenge for all stakeholders concerned. The three alternative processes available for recovering cyanide are biological treatment, chemical treatment, and other processes such as adsorption and membrane-based processes. Each alternative process has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be considered before opting for a particular process. The current status and recent developments of the various alternative processes are discussed in this paper.
