Gold Flotation Process, Let Me Show You

Flotation is a very common process in gold beneficiation, and is suitable for the treatment of sulfide gold ore and polymetallic gold sulfide ore with fine gold particles and high floatability. Gold ore flotation technology has been researched earlier, widely used, and mature in technology, and is suitable for most gold-bearing ores.

In actual production, gold ore differs in terms of inlaid particle size, associated mineral composition, argillization characteristics, dissemination characteristics, etc., and the flotation process of gold ore is also different. The more common processes are as follows:

(1) Flotation + cyanide leaching: commonly used to treat sulfide ores containing a small amount of gold and silver. Flotation of gold ore is carried out first, and a small amount of concentrate obtained is then subjected to cyanidation leaching.

(2) Flotation + concentrate roasting + leaching: generally used for the treatment of insoluble gold arsenic ore, gold antimony ore and other ores. Arsenic, antimony and other elements are removed by roasting to prevent them from damaging cyanide leaching.

(3) Flotation + flotation concentrate pyroprocessing: it is suitable for most sulfide ores containing gold and silver. In the flotation process, gold and silver enter into the closely associated minerals such as copper and lead, and finally the concentrate obtained by flotation is smelted and purified.

(4) Flotation + medium ore/tailings cyanidation + concentrate roasting cyanidation: it is suitable for the treatment of quartz sulfide ore containing chalcopyrite, gold telluride, pyrrhotite and other sulfides. The concentrate obtained by flotation is exposed to gold and silver by roasting, and then the roasted product is subjected to cyanidation leaching.

(5) Cyanidation + tailings flotation: When the cyanidation of raw ore cannot fully recover the gold and silver in some gold-silver-containing sulfide ores, the cyanidated slag needs to be flotated to improve the recovery rate of gold and silver. 

Gold Ore Flotation Equipment

(1) Crushing equipment: jaw crusher, cone crusher;

(2) Screening equipment: circular vibrating screen;

(3) Grinding equipment: ball mill;

(4) Stirring equipment: high-efficiency stirring tank (to make the mineral surface fully contact and interact with the drug);

(5) Flotation equipment: XCF/KYF flotation machine combined unit is commonly used (less capital construction investment; low power consumption; light equipment loss; good beneficiation effect);

(6) Concentration equipment: thickener machine.

Although gold ore flotation has strong applicability and good beneficiation effect, it may not be suitable for all gold-bearing ores. The choice of beneficiation method for gold ore needs to be determined through processing tests.