Beneficiation and Characterization of Gold from Itagunmodi Gold Ore by Cyanidation

Olasupo Daniel Ogundare^1,2, Mosobalaje Oyebanji Adeoye², Adelana Rasaq Adetunji^2,3, Olusegun Oyeleke Adewoye⁴

¹Engineering Materials Development Institute, Akure, Nigeria.
²Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
³Prototype Engineering Development Institute, Ilesa, Nigeria.
⁴African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2014.24035                

Abstract

This paper has reported the beneficiation and characterization of gold from Itagunmodi gold ore in Atakumosa West LGA in the State of Osun Nigeria using cyanide solution obtained from cassava and commercially available sodium cyanide analar grade. Cyanide solution extracted from cassava variety TMS 30572 leaves obtained from Obafemi Awolowo University (O.A.U) Research and Teaching Farm was discovered to have the highest free cyanide (CN^-) among the ten different cassava varieties evaluated. The samples were exposed to varied concentrations from 0.25% to 2.00% CN at intervals of 0.25% CN from cyanide solution obtained from cassava and commercially available sodium cyanide analar grade. The result showed that after 24 hours of cyanidation and concentration of 2% CN^- on 10 g gold ore concentrate, the analar grade sodium cyanide yielded 0.123 g of gold while the cassava based cyanide yielded 0.098 g. The cyanidation performance of analar grade sodium cyanide is greater than cassava based cyanide by a difference of 0.25%.

Keywords

Gold, Cyanidation, Itagunmodi Gold Ore, Cassava, Commercial Sodium Cyanide, Cyanide from Cassava

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Ojeda, M.W., Perino, E. and Ruiz, M.C. (2009) Gold Extraction by Chlorination Using a Pyrometallurgical Process. Minerals Engineering, 22, 409-411. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2008.09.002
[2]	La Brooy, S.R., Linge, H.G. and Walker, G.S. (1994) Review of Gold Extraction from Ores. Minerals Engineering, 7, 1213-1241. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0892-6875(94)90114-7
[3]	Rubisov, D.H., Papengelakis, V.G. and Kondos, P.D. (1996) Fundamental Kinetic Models for Gold Ore Cyanide Leaching. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 35, 353-361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/cmq.1996.35.4.353
[4]	Adams, M.D. (2005) Advances in Gold Ore Processing, Developments in Mineral Processing. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
[5]	Chryssoulis, S.L. and McMullen, J. (2005) Mineralogical Investigation of Gold Ores. In: Adams, M.D., Ed., Advances in Gold Ore Processing, Elsevier, The Netherlands, 21-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4528(05)15002-9
[6]	Chen, T., Cabri, J. and Dutrizac, E. (2002) Characterizing Gold in Refractory Sulfide Gold Ores and Residues. Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, 54, 20-22.
[7]	Demopoulos, P. and Papangelakis, G. (1987) Acidic Pressure Oxidation of Refractory Gold Minerals Carriers. International Symposium on Gold Metallurgy, Winnipeg, 341-357.
[8]	González-Anaya, J.A., Nava-Alonso, F. and Pecina-Treviño, E.T. (2011) Use of Ozone for Gold Extraction from a Highly Refractory Concentrate. Ozone: Science & Engineering, 33, 42-49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01919512.2011.536507
[9]	Robinson, P.C. (1983) Mineralogy and Treatment of Refractory Gold from the Porgera Deposit, Papau New Guinea. Australia Mineral Processing and Extractive Matellurgy, Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, Transactions, Section C, 92, 87-91.
[10]	Habashi, F. (1970) Extractive Metallurgy; Gordon and Breach. Vol. 2, Science Publishers Inc, NY, 24-56.
[11]	Adetunji, A.R. (1991) Use of Cyanide Solution from Cassava for the Extraction of Gold. M.Sc. Thesis (Unpublished), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
[12]	Celep, O., Alp, I., Deveci, H. and Vicil, M. (2008) Characterization of Refractory Behavior of Complex Gold/Silver Ore by Diagnostic Leaching. Transactions of Non-Ferrous Metals Society of China, 19, 707-713. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1003-6326(08)60337-4
[13]	Bello, A.A. (1997) Extraction of Gold from Ilesa Gold Ore Deposit. M.Sc. Thesis (Unpublished), University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
[14]	Lewis, P.J. and Martin, G.T. (1983) Gold-Silver Deposit, Saudi Arabia; Mineralogical Studies Associated with Metallurgical Process Evaluation, Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy. Transactions, Mahd Adh Dhahab, Section C, 92, 63-68.
[15]	Ariyibi, E.A., Folami, S.L., Ako, B.D., Ajayi, T.R. and Adelusi, A.O. (2011) Application of the Principal Component Analysis on Geochemical Data: A Case Study in the Basement Complex of Southern Ilesa Area, Nigeria. Arab Journal of Geosciences, 4, 239-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12517-010-0175-5
[16]	Elueze, A.A. (1997) Geological and Geochemical Studies in the Ilesa Schist Belt in Relation to Gold Mineralization. M.Phil. Thesis (Unpublished), University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
[17]	Mesubi, M.A., Adekola, F.A., Bello, A.A., Adekeye, J.I.D. and Bale, R.B. (1999) Extraction of Gold from Igun Gold Ore Deposit in Atakumosa Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Pure and Applied Science, 14, 935-945.