The Gold Mineral Processing Flow

Gold, due to its scarcity and unique physical and chemical properties, has been a symbol of wealth and value since ancient times. From the gold ore hidden deep underground to the shining gold products, the birth of every piece of gold is inseparable from the complex and meticulous mineral processing flow. This series of processes is not only the crystallization of technology and wisdom but also a vivid manifestation of human exploration of nature and utilization of resources.

The initial stage of gold mineral processing is crushing and grinding. The gold ore just mined is usually large in size and high in hardness, and gold minerals mostly exist in the ore in the form of fine grains or inclusions. Through equipment such as jaw crushers and cone crushers, the ore is gradually crushed into smaller ore blocks. Subsequently, using grinding equipment like ball mills and rod mills, the ore blocks are further ground to an appropriate particle size, fully dissociating the gold minerals from the gangue minerals, creating conditions for subsequent separation.

The pulp after grinding enters the separation stage, which is the key step in extracting gold. The gravity separation method is one of the commonly used methods. Based on the density difference between gold and gangue minerals, with the help of equipment such as chutes and shaking tables, gold particles with a larger density are separated from the gangue under the action of water flow. The gravity separation method is simple to operate and low in cost, and it is suitable for processing gold ores with coarse-grained dissemination.

The flotation method also plays an important role in gold mineral processing. By adding reagents such as collectors and frothers, the hydrophobicity of the gold mineral surface is changed, making it adhere to the bubbles and float to the surface of the pulp with the bubbles to form a froth layer, thus separating from the gangue minerals. The flotation method has a significant treatment effect on fine-grained gold ores and polymetallic associated ores, and can effectively improve the gold recovery rate.

For some refractory gold ores, the cyanidation method is an important treatment means. The cyanidation method uses a cyanide solution to dissolve gold to form a gold-cyanide complex, and then the gold is extracted from the solution through methods such as zinc powder replacement or activated carbon adsorption. Although the cyanidation method is highly efficient, cyanide is toxic, and the operation process needs to be strictly controlled, and environmental protection treatment should be done well.

The products such as gold concentrate or gold-loaded activated carbon obtained after separation need to be further refined to obtain high-purity gold. The refining process generally uses pyrometallurgical refining or electrolytic refining. Pyrometallurgical refining smelts the gold concentrate at high temperature to separate gold from impurities; electrolytic refining uses crude gold as the anode and pure gold sheets as the cathode, and conducts electrolysis in the electrolyte, and gold ions precipitate on the cathode, thus obtaining pure gold with a purity of up to 99.99%.

From the mine to the gold ingot, every process in the gold mineral processing flow embodies the efforts of countless researchers and workers. With the continuous progress of science and technology, new mineral processing technologies and equipment are constantly emerging, and the gold mineral processing flow is also developing in a more efficient and environmentally friendly direction, providing strong support for the sustainable development of the gold industry.