Knowra Gold cyanidation Gold cyanidation Gold cyanidation is an industrial hydrometallurgical process that dissolves gold from crushed ore in dilute cyanide solution, then recovers it from the resulting liquid.
Cyanidation leaching : A hydrometallurgical step that transfers metals from solid ore into a liquid reagent. Cyanide solution leaches gold from ore through oxidation and formation of soluble gold-cyanide complexes.
Cyanide : The anion CN⁻ and compounds containing it, used in several industrial chemical processes. Cyanide ions bind dissolved gold and make it soluble in the leach liquor.
Heap leaching : A process that irrigates stacked, crushed ore with leaching solution and collects the metal-bearing drainage. It applies cyanide leaching to large volumes of low-grade gold ore.
Cyanide poisoning : A toxic condition caused by exposure to cyanide, which disrupts cellular use of oxygen. Leaks or mishandling of cyanide reagents can cause severe acute poisoning.
Elsner equation : A balanced reaction equation describing gold dissolution by cyanide in the presence of oxygen and water. It summarizes the chemical reaction at the heart of gold dissolution.
Dissolved oxygen : Molecular oxygen present in a liquid, available to participate in chemical reactions. Oxygen acts as the oxidant that enables gold dissolution in cyanide solution.
Agitated tank leaching : A leaching method that mixes finely ground solids and reagent in stirred tanks. It accelerates contact between cyanide solution, oxygen, and finely ground ore.
Tailings : The finely ground waste solids left after valuable minerals have been recovered from ore. Cyanidation tailings may retain cyanide and dissolved metals, requiring controlled storage and treatment.
Gold cyanide complex : A soluble coordination ion in which gold is bonded to cyanide ligands, commonly Au(CN)₂⁻. This complex carries dissolved gold through the leach solution.
Gold ore : Rock containing gold at a concentration and in a form that can be mined and processed economically. Its mineralogy, grain size, and gold distribution govern leach performance.
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