EASE OF HANDLING
• The close sizing and regular shape of the resin beads assist selection of screens and reproducible screening performance.
ECONOMIC CYANIDE RECOVERY
• Recovered cyanide costs 50% less than new cyanide; and the process eliminates detox requirement.
IMPROVED METAL RECOVERY
• The lower cost of cyanide recycle allows higher cyanide levels to be kept in the leach circuit, thereby potentially increasing silver recovery.
2.3 P ROVING THE T ECHNOLOGY The steps used in the ReCYN™ Process have been developed through extensive research and development programs over a 30-year period. A combination of laboratory test work and continuous pilot trials have provided detailed knowledge of the resin's capabilities and performance over a wide range of ore types. Pilot Plants Several continuous pilot plant campaigns have been completed in Australia and North America, applying the process directly to effluent streams of operating gold mines. Two pilot plants were used, each with a capacity of 10m 3 /day of pulp or solution. The plants were designed to closely represent the flowsheets of industrial operations. Features of the plants include: 2.3.1
Multi-stage contactors
•
Counter-current flow of resin and slurry
•
• Staged elution of loaded resin for metals and cyanide • Cyanide recovery system.
Each campaign demonstrated the resin’s high efficiency in recovering cyanide and metals. Typical pilot plant results are shown in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Typical Cyanide and Copper Recoveries from ReCYN™ Pilot Plant
SPECIES
Feed Slurry (ppm)
Treated Slurry (ppm)
Recovery (%)
CnFree
159 159 205
0.12 0.12 0.23 0.13
99.9 99.9 99.9 99.7
CNWAD CNTotal
Copper
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2.3.2 Commercial Operations Commercially, the technology is proving itself effective on the job:
• Currently, an integrated full-scale operation at the Mirah gold/silver project in Indonesia has demonstrated the commercial viability of the technology. Mirah, in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, has operated with ReCYN™ for more than two years.
ReCYN™ Case Study – Martabe Operations
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