Gold electroleaching in a porous bed reactor

• Main Authors: Luver Echeverry Vargas, Néstor Rojas-Reyes
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Medellín 2017-01-01
• Series: Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias
• Online Access: https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/rfc/article/view/62744

The application of an electric potential difference on the leaching of an auriferous mineral typical of Colombian mining was analyzed in an electroleaching reactor. Electric potentials of 5, 30, and 60 volts were evaluated during 4, 6, and 20 hours. In each of the conditions evaluated, samples of the liquors were taken near the cathode and anode and were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. It was observed that there is a direct relation between the applied electric potential and the migrational flow of the gold species to the anode. After the electroleaching process, the used electrodes were analyzed by SEM-EDX, where the presence of gold deposits was detected on the surface of the electrode under all the potential difference conditions applied. Based on the results obtained, a mechanism is proposed to explain the influence on the kinetics of gold cyanidation of the application of an electric potential difference on a column leaching process.