Proc25626 Vol. 24 No. 3 (2025)

Vol. 24, No. 3 (2025), Proc25626 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Proc25626

Alternative activated carbon method for recovery of gold from thiosulfate solutions

Authors

J. Bautista-Hernández, J. L. Valenzuela-García, J. R. Parga-Torres, M. A. Encinas-Romero, G. Tiburcio-Munive, G. Martínez-Ballesteros

Abstract

The activated carbon adsorption (CIP) process used for the gold recovery stage has proven to be highly effective and efficient in being able to recover complexes formed from cyanide leaching solutions. However, the recovery of the gold-thiosulfate complex from leaching solutions has been difficult due to the low recoveries obtained in this process; This is due to the diameter of the complex ion formed from thiosulfate solutions. The present work seeks to carry out the adsorption of the gold-thiosulfate complex; carrying out a pre-treatment to activated carbon washing (AC-PW) it with sodium cyanide and sodium thiosulfate solution to impregnate the activated carbon with the cuprocyanide complex (AC-PW-Cu) to obtain the aurocyanide complex by ion exchange, in addition to obtaining the adsorption of the gold thiosulfate complex. Evaluating the impregnation of activated carbon with cuprocyanide complex, as well as contact with the gold-thiosulfate complex, in discontinuous assays. Using concentrations of 5 to 20 mg/L of gold, 0.2 mol/L of sodium thiosulfate and 12.5 g of activated carbon, obtaining results in adsorption assays of 97 to 99% recovery, expanding the possibilities of being able to recover the gold complex formed from leaching with sodium thiosulfate.

Keywords

activated carbon, adsorption, cuprocyanide, thiosulfate, gold.

References
Abbruzzese, C., Fornari, P., Massidda, R., Veglio, F., & Ubaldini, S. (1995). Thiosulphate leaching for gold hydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy, 39(1-3), 265-276. Andrade, S. N., Veloso, C. M., Fontan, R. C. I., Bonomo, R. C. F., Santos, L. S., Brito, M. J. P., & Diniz, G. A. (2018). Chemical-activated carbon from coconut (Cocos nucifera) endocarp waste and its application in the adsorption of ß-lactoglobulin protein. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 17(2), 463-475. Arima, H., Fujita, T., & Yen, W.-T. (2002). Gold cementation from ammonium thiosulfate solution by zinc, copper and aluminium powders. Materials transactions, 43(3), 485-493. Chen, Y., Zi, F., Hu, X., Yang, P., Ma, Y., Cheng, H.,…Chen, S. (2020). The use of new modified activated carbon in thiosulfate solution: A green gold recovery technology. Separation and Purification Technology, 230, 115834. de la Torre-Miranda, N., Reilly, L., Eloy, P., Poleunis, C., & Hermans, S. (2023). Thiol functionalized activated carbon for gold thiosulfate recovery, an analysis of the interactions between gold and sulfur functions. Carbon, 204, 254-267. Edwards, I. A. S., Marsh, H., & Menendez, R. (2013). Introduction to carbon science. Butterworth-Heinemann. Escobar-Ledesma, F. R., Aragón-Tobar, C. F., Espinoza-Montero, P. J., & Torre-Chauvin, E. d. l. (2020). Increased Recovery of Gold Thiosulfate Alkaline Solutions by Adding Thiol Groups in the Porous Structure of Activated Carbon. Molecules, 25(12), 2902. Fleming, C. A., McMullen, J., Thomas, K. G., & Wells, J. A. (2003). Recent advances in the development of an alternative to the cyanidation process: Thiosulfate leaching and resin in pulp. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 20, 1-9. Fleming, C. A., & Nicol, M. J. (1984). The absorption of gold cyanide onto activated carbon. III. Factors influencing the rate of loading and the equilibrium capacity. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 84(4), 85-93. Foo, K. Y., & Hameed, B. H. (2010). Insights into the modeling of adsorption isotherm systems. Chemical engineering journal, 156(1), 2-10. Gallagher, N. P., Hendrix, J. L., Milosavljevic, E. B., Nelson, J. H., & Solujic, L. (1990). Affinity of activated carbon towards some gold (I) complexes. Hydrometallurgy, 25(3), 305-316. Grosse, A. C., Dicinoski, G. W., Shaw, M. J., & Haddad, P. R. (2003). Leaching and recovery of gold using ammoniacal thiosulfate leach liquors (a review). Hydrometallurgy, 69(1-3), 1-21. Jiang, Y., Chen, Y., Zi, F., Hu, X., Chen, S., He, P.,…Lin, Y. (2022). Making untreated carbon effective in cleaner thiosulfate system: A new and high-efficiency method including gold adsorption and desorption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 334, 130185. Marsden, J., & House, I. (2006). The chemistry of gold extraction. SME. McDougall, G. J. H. R. D. N. M. J. W. O. L., & Copperthwaite, R. G. (1980). The mechanism of the adsorption of gold cyanide on activated carbon. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 80(9), 344-356. Pinzón-Bedoya, M. L., & Vera Villamizar, L. E. (2009). Modelamiento de la cinética de bioadsorción de Cr (III) usando cáscara de naranja. Dyna, 76(160), 95-106. Streat, M., Naden, D., & Society of Chemical, I. (1987). Ion Exchange and Sorption Processes in Hydrometallurgy. Wiley. Tejada-Tovar, C., Mancilla, H. B., Moreyra, J. D. P., & Toro, R. O. (2020). Effect of the adsorbent dose in Pb (II) removal by using sugar cane bagasse: Kinetics and isotherms. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 19(3), 1413-1423. Xia, J., Marthi, R., Twinney, J., & Ghahreman, A. (2022). A review on adsorption mechanism of gold cyanide complex onto activation carbon. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Young, C., Gow, N., Melashvili, M., & LeVier, M. (2012). Impregnated activated carbon for gold extraction from thiosulfate solutions. Separation Technologies for Minerals, Coal, and Earth Resources, 391. Yu, H., Zi, F., Hu, X., Nie, Y., Chen, Y., & Cheng, H. (2018). Adsorption of gold from thiosulfate solutions with chemically modified activated carbon. Adsorption Science & Technology, 36(1-2), 408-428. Yu, H., Zi, F., Hu, X., Nie, Y., Xiang, P., Xu, J., & Chi, H. (2015). Adsorption of the gold–thiosulfate complex ion onto cupric ferrocyanide (CuFC)-impregnated activated carbon in aqueous solutions. Hydrometallurgy, 154, 111-117. Zadra, J. B., Engel, A. L., & Heinen, H. J. (1952). Process for recovering gold and silver from activated carbon by leaching and electrolysis (Vol. 4843). US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.

References

Abbruzzese, C., Fornari, P., Massidda, R., Veglio, F., & Ubaldini, S. (1995). Thiosulphate leaching for gold hydrometallurgy. Hydrometallurgy, 39(1-3), 265-276.
Andrade, S. N., Veloso, C. M., Fontan, R. C. I., Bonomo, R. C. F., Santos, L. S., Brito, M. J. P., & Diniz, G. A. (2018). Chemical-activated carbon from coconut (Cocos nucifera) endocarp waste and its application in the adsorption of ß-lactoglobulin protein. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 17(2), 463-475.
Arima, H., Fujita, T., & Yen, W.-T. (2002). Gold cementation from ammonium thiosulfate solution by zinc, copper and aluminium powders. Materials transactions, 43(3), 485-493.
Chen, Y., Zi, F., Hu, X., Yang, P., Ma, Y., Cheng, H.,…Chen, S. (2020). The use of new modified activated carbon in thiosulfate solution: A green gold recovery technology. Separation and Purification Technology, 230, 115834.
de la Torre-Miranda, N., Reilly, L., Eloy, P., Poleunis, C., & Hermans, S. (2023). Thiol functionalized activated carbon for gold thiosulfate recovery, an analysis of the interactions between gold and sulfur functions. Carbon, 204, 254-267.
Edwards, I. A. S., Marsh, H., & Menendez, R. (2013). Introduction to carbon science. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Escobar-Ledesma, F. R., Aragón-Tobar, C. F., Espinoza-Montero, P. J., & Torre-Chauvin, E. d. l. (2020). Increased Recovery of Gold Thiosulfate Alkaline Solutions by Adding Thiol Groups in the Porous Structure of Activated Carbon. Molecules, 25(12), 2902.
Fleming, C. A., McMullen, J., Thomas, K. G., & Wells, J. A. (2003). Recent advances in the development of an alternative to the cyanidation process: Thiosulfate leaching and resin in pulp. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 20, 1-9.
Fleming, C. A., & Nicol, M. J. (1984). The absorption of gold cyanide onto activated carbon. III. Factors influencing the rate of loading and the equilibrium capacity. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 84(4), 85-93.
Foo, K. Y., & Hameed, B. H. (2010). Insights into the modeling of adsorption isotherm systems. Chemical engineering journal, 156(1), 2-10.
Gallagher, N. P., Hendrix, J. L., Milosavljevic, E. B., Nelson, J. H., & Solujic, L. (1990). Affinity of activated carbon towards some gold (I) complexes. Hydrometallurgy, 25(3), 305-316.
Grosse, A. C., Dicinoski, G. W., Shaw, M. J., & Haddad, P. R. (2003). Leaching and recovery of gold using ammoniacal thiosulfate leach liquors (a review). Hydrometallurgy, 69(1-3), 1-21.
Jiang, Y., Chen, Y., Zi, F., Hu, X., Chen, S., He, P.,…Lin, Y. (2022). Making untreated carbon effective in cleaner thiosulfate system: A new and high-efficiency method including gold adsorption and desorption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 334, 130185.
Marsden, J., & House, I. (2006). The chemistry of gold extraction. SME.
McDougall, G. J. H. R. D. N. M. J. W. O. L., & Copperthwaite, R. G. (1980). The mechanism of the adsorption of gold cyanide on activated carbon. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 80(9), 344-356.
Pinzón-Bedoya, M. L., & Vera Villamizar, L. E. (2009). Modelamiento de la cinética de bioadsorción de Cr (III) usando cáscara de naranja. Dyna, 76(160), 95-106.
Streat, M., Naden, D., & Society of Chemical, I. (1987). Ion Exchange and Sorption Processes in Hydrometallurgy. Wiley.
Tejada-Tovar, C., Mancilla, H. B., Moreyra, J. D. P., & Toro, R. O. (2020). Effect of the adsorbent dose in Pb (II) removal by using sugar cane bagasse: Kinetics and isotherms. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 19(3), 1413-1423.
Xia, J., Marthi, R., Twinney, J., & Ghahreman, A. (2022). A review on adsorption mechanism of gold cyanide complex onto activation carbon. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.
Young, C., Gow, N., Melashvili, M., & LeVier, M. (2012). Impregnated activated carbon for gold extraction from thiosulfate solutions. Separation Technologies for Minerals, Coal, and Earth Resources, 391.
Yu, H., Zi, F., Hu, X., Nie, Y., Chen, Y., & Cheng, H. (2018). Adsorption of gold from thiosulfate solutions with chemically modified activated carbon. Adsorption Science & Technology, 36(1-2), 408-428.
Yu, H., Zi, F., Hu, X., Nie, Y., Xiang, P., Xu, J., & Chi, H. (2015). Adsorption of the gold–thiosulfate complex ion onto cupric ferrocyanide (CuFC)-impregnated activated carbon in aqueous solutions. Hydrometallurgy, 154, 111-117.
Zadra, J. B., Engel, A. L., & Heinen, H. J. (1952). Process for recovering gold and silver from activated carbon by leaching and electrolysis (Vol. 4843). US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.