A gold mining ore processing line is a series of steps designed to extract gold from raw ore efficiently. The process varies depending on the type of ore (e.g., free-milling, refractory, or placer deposits) but generally includes crushing, grinding, gravity separation, flotation, cyanidation (or alternative leaching methods), and refining.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of a typical gold ore processing line:
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1. Crushing & Screening
– Primary Crushing: Large chunks of ore are reduced using jaw crushers or gyratory crushers.
– Secondary/Tertiary Crushing: Cone crushers or impact crushers further reduce the ore to smaller particles.
– Screening: Vibrating screens classify the crushed material for optimal grinding.
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2. Grinding (Milling)
– Ball Mills/Rod Mills: Ore is ground into fine particles to liberate gold from the host rock.
– SAG Mills (Semi-Autogenous Grinding): Used for harder ores to achieve finer particle sizes.
3. Gravity Separation (Optional but Common)
– Used for coarse free gold recovery before leaching.
– Methods:
– Shaking Tables
– Centrifugal Concentrators (Knelson/Falcon)
– Jigs & Sluices
4. Flotation (For Sulfide Ores)
– Froth flotation separates gold-bearing sulfides from waste rock.
– Chemicals (collectors, frothers) help gold adhere to air bubbles for recovery.
5. Leaching & Gold Extraction
# (A) Cyanide Leaching (Most Common)
– CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) or CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp):
– Ore slurry is mixed with sodium cyanide (NaCN), dissolving gold.
– Activated carbon adsorbs dissolved gold from the solution.
– Loaded carbon is processed further for gold recovery.
# (B) Non-Cyanide Alternatives
– Thiosulfate Leaching (for refractory ores or eco-sensitive areas).
– Chlorination or Bioleaching (less common).
6. Gold Recovery
– Electrowinning: Gold is stripped from carbon and plated onto cathodes.
– Smelting: Gold concentrate is melted with fluxes to remove impurities, producing doré bars.
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7. Tailings Management & Environmental Control
– Cyanide