ECONOMICS OF REFRACTORY GOLD ORE PROCESSES

John E. Litz and R. Wayne Carter

119th TMS Annual Meeting

February 18-22, 1990

Hazen Research, Inc.

4601 Indiana Street
Golden, Colorado 80403

Abstract

Refractory gold ore pretreatment processes continue to receive much attention. This
paper compares the relative economics of treating ores by oxygen pressure oxidation,
roasting and bacterial oxidation with or without preconcentration by froth flotation.
Capital and operating cost estimates for each method of pretreatment were prepared and
these estimated costs and ore sulfide grades then are used to compare the process
economics.

The study indicates that the most significant item affecting the economics is the
amenability of the ore to flotation. The cost benefits of flotation are $10-13 per tonne
ore processed (2%-4% Sa, 10:1 ratio of concentration). In most cases bacterial oxidation
has the lowest overall cost, especially if less than complete oxidation of the sulfides will
give acceptable recovery, however bacterial oxidation has yet to be practiced on a large
scale. In all situations pressure oxidation shows the highest cost. However, the cost
differences between the treatments are small, less than $7 per tonne.
2

INTRODUCTION

Refractory gold ores present a number of problems to the gold producer. Much has
been written about the suitability of particular pretreatment processes for specific
gold ores. We at Hazen Research have had the opportunity to participate in the
development and application of a number of gold ore processes and to review others'
results from applying processes to gold ores. This experience gives us the
background necessary to compare the available processes on their technical merit.
However, technical merit does not necessarily translate to the bottom line. It is the
bottom line which is most important to the gold producer.

DISCUSSION

Potential Processes

A number of processes have been applied to the treatment of refractory ores and
concentrates. These include:

Alkaline air oxidation

Chlorination

Chlorination and alkaline air oxidation tend to be the lowest capital cost
pretreatment methods, and in cases of ores with very low sulfide content, they also
can have very low operating costs. These processes, however, do not have wide
application as only a few ore types show good response to them. These are not
considered in this paper since their applicability is limited.

Chloride catalyzed, oxygen pressure oxidation (Cashman)

Nitric acid catalyzed oxidation (Nitrox, Redox)

The chloride and nitric catalyzed processes have excellent technical merit, but as
yet have not been thoroughly tested at either pilot or commercial scale. Therefore,
they are not considered in this paper.

Bacterial oxidation
Oxygen pressure oxidation
Roasting

This paper is restricted to comparing the economics of biological oxidation, oxygen

pressure oxidation and roasting.
 3

Basis of Costing
The basic process evaluated
is shown in Figure 1. The BASIC PROCESS FLOWSHEET
steps essentially include
crushing and grinding,
followed by cyanidation and
CIP recovery of the gold.
The effect of concentrating by
means of flotation also was
investigated in each process.
Process flowsheets were r---
developed for each of the
three pretreatment processes.
These flowsheets are shown
in Figures 2, 3 and 4. A
series of cases then was
developed using ores
containing 2 and 4% sulfide L _
sulfur. The cases considered
total ore cyanidation,
cyanidation of flotation
concentrates, and cyanidation
of either total ore or flotation
concentrates after
oxidative pretreatment. For
the cases which included
flotation, 90% recovery of the FIGURE 1

sulfide into 10% of the weight

was assumed.

The biological oxidation process uses an initial 20% solids content. The venting air
contains sufficient heat that no additional heating or cooling is required to maintain
the desired 35C operating temperature, if 80% oxidation of the sulfide and 5%
utilization of the oxygen in the air are assumed. Others have shown that 50 to
80% sulfide oxidation is suitable for good liberation of the gold and that oxygen
utilization greater than 5% is difficult to achieve.

The oxygen pressure oxidation of total ore uses a 40% solids feed and uses heat
exchangers on both the flashed slurry and vapor to preheat the autoclave feed prior
to oxidation at 200C for 90 minutes. Oxygen utilization during leaching is
assumed at 80%. The flashed slurry is neutralized and cooled to 40C prior to
cyanidation. In the case of the

BACTERIAL OXIDATION FLOWSHEET
FEED
SLURRY

TO ~ FLOCCULANT

GRIND ,~
THICKENER

TH ICKEHE" r NEUTRAL PULP

TO CYANIDATION

FEED PREPARATION

HYDRATED LIME

COOLING
WATER

NEUTRALIZATION

BIO-OXIDATION

BLOWER
FIGURE 2
 PRESSURE OXIDATION FLOWSHEET

TO ATMOSPHERE

FEED
SLURRY ~ ... I
HEAT
TO GRIND~
EXCHANGER
HEAT
EXCHANGER

I j~
Ihl
THICKENR WATER

lr-
~ FLOCCULANT
FEED PREPARATION
_ I' I
J ~ 'I _ OVERFLOW TO
RECYCLE
THICKENER
NEUTRAL PULP
TO CYANIDATION

r- HYDRATED LIME

11-11
COOLING TOWER
NEUTRALIZATION
OXYGEN
FIGURE 3
 FLUID BED ROASTING FLOWSHEET

TO ATMOSPHERE

SLURRY
FEED ~ ., ,i HYDRA TED

TO
GRIND ----}l ~ ~ ~ LIME

THICKENER

BLEED

DUST SCRUBBER

FEED PREPARATION

NEUTRAL PULP
TO CYANIDATION
CYCLONE

FUEL

COOLI NG TOWER

NEUTRALIZATION

FIGURE 4
 7

concentrate oxidation, preheating is not required and the oxygen leach temperature
is controlled by reducing the feed density to 17% solids with the 2% sulfide ore and
<10% solids with the 4% sulfide ore.

The roasting cases utilize low cost, high sulfur fuel oil when necessary to reach the
650C operating temperature. The air volume used in all cases is sufficient to leave
4-5% oxygen in the roaster off-gas. When total ore is used, dry grinding to 10-mesh
is assumed prior to roasting. A fluidized cooler on the bed overflow is used to
preheat the combustion and oxidation air in all cases except the concentrate from
4% sulfide ore. The quenched slurry is neutralized and cooled to 40C prior to
cyanidation.

Preparation of Costs

Mass and energy balances using the METSIM Process Simulation software were
prepared for each oxidation process and each sulfur level with and without flotation.
The mass and energy balances then served as the basis for preparing a series of
capital and operating cost estimates. Assumptions used in preparing the estimates
were that the plant would be sited in central Nevada, power would be available at
the property line, and fuel oil would be the source of thermal energy. No costs for
tailings disposal are included as such costs are too site-specific for inclusion in a
general study.

The costs were developed using the United States Bureau of Mines Costing
Handbook for the crushing, grinding, flotation, cyanidation and CIP portions of the
flowsheets. The pretreatment portions were costed by pricing the major equipment
items and factoring the installed costs. Since at this time there is no "standard"
commercial apparatus for the biological oxidation, we made an estimate for the
equipment which we felt would accomplish the oxidation. We have assumed low
power type agitation in vertical tanks having 48-hours retention for the oxidation.
Table 1 shows the capital cost estimates determined for treating 2000 tonnes of 2%
sulfide sulfur total ore per day by all three pretreatment methods after flotation to
produce 200 tonnes of concentrate.

Operating costs then were estimated for each size and type process. Operating
costs for the crushing, grinding, flotation, leaching and CIP circuits were
determined using the Bureau of Mines Handbook; whereas the operating costs for
the treatment steps were estimated separately for each size and type of process.
The operating costs assume that the ore is not acid consuming and that lime will be
required to neutralize all acid or sulfur dioxide produced during the preoxidation.
Table 2 lists the operating costs for the cases listed in Table 1.
 8 56
332
103
591
622
213
222
213
222
---.M
Pressure
~1Q
Oxidation
194
194
952
380
380
640
176
65
640
332
591
176
1,637
2,612
2,612
22,810
22,837
2,472
16,048
16,657
19,869
2,244
4,855
6,914
3,093
3,702
4,855
2,024
2,027
1,699
18,445
19,145
Roasting
3,387
19,845
5.488
5.488 194
56 20% 6,890
952
332
103
65
213
622
222
--.M
Bacterial
380
640
591
176
2,612
80%14,890
3,387
4,855
2,244
----B1
1,321
Oxid.
2,472
5.488
12,955 Oxid.
2000 tonnes Flotation
per day, concentrate
2% sulfide ore
(OOO'sdollars) Table 1
Estimated Capital Costs
Oxygen
 2.95
8.33
6.86
2.85
1.80
0.33
1.18
0.10
0.04
0.07
0.08
0.15
4.37
0.85
0.01
0.54
3.70
0.25
0.75
0.38
4.74
1.09
0.02
1.27
0.05
1.21
1.29
1.30
Pressure
Oxidation
16.30
10.18
15.66
14.19
Roasting: 1.27
4.74
0.33
0.10
0.01
1.80
1.18
0.02
0.05
1.29
0.08
Bacterial
1.30
7.33
80% Oxid. 8.97
0.08
0.12
0.54
7.79
0.37
0.07
1.21 20% Oxid. 0.85 9
2000 TPD - 2% Sulfide Ore
(Dollars/tonne)
Estimated Oxygen Costs
Operating
10

The data generated

from the capital and COMPARISON OF CAPITAL COSTS
operating cost
estimates were used to 2% SULFIDE
generate a number of
graphs which compare
the costs for the
various treatment
processes at differing
tonnages. Figure 5 "I
compares the capital o
o L
L L
costs for a plant to L
A 0
I

treat a 2% sulfide A
5 5
N

sulfur bearing are.

The capital costs are
very similar at the 500
te/d rate and show
about a 10% spread at 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
4000 te/d. SIZE. ~fl'ERDAY

FIGURE 5

The operating costs for

treating the same are
are graphed in COMPARISON OF OPERATING COSTS
Figure 6. Because of 2% SULFIDE
high reagent
requirements, costs for
pressure leaching L
oA
T
N
E $35
p 0 5
0
L
E
A
A N $15$20
remain high regardless
of the tonnage. Since $10
$30
$25
biological oxidation
requires the least
reagent, the costs
decrease the most with ~.'.;.;.;'; ..'

increasing tonnage.

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

lilt
FIGURE 8
 11
The bottom line
includes the recovery
of capital, which often COMPARISON OF OPERATING PLUS
can be the most CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS
significant per tonne FOR 2% SULFIDE
cost. Figure 7
includes a four-year
recovery of capital
with the operating
costs in comparing the
processes. When the p
recovery of capital is o
o
E
R

included, the roasting L

L
costs are a few dollars A
R
S
per tonne less than
pressure leaching.
Biological oxidation
has the lowest cost at
all tonnages, but by 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
only $3-4 dollars per SUE. 'fCNrEB PER DAY

tonne. FIGURE 7

The inclusion of
flotation to the process
reduces the capital
costs significantly. COMPARISON OF CAPITAL COSTS
Figure 8 compares the 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION
capital costs for plants
which include flotation
as well as oxidative
pretreatment by
oxygen pressure,
bacterial oxidation and
roasting. Flotation o
...
,
reduces the total o
L
L
L
L ,
capital costs about A 0
R N
50%. S S

$1

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

SIZE. TCNEII PER DAY
12

Concentrating the ore

by flotation COMPARISON OF OPERATING COSTS
significantly reduces
the operating costs. 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION
Figure 9 shows that at
high tonnages the total
operating costs with
flotation are only $14-
18/tonne versus $16-
22/tonne with whole p
ore. o E
OR
L
L T
A 0
R N
S N
E

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

SIZE. TCNM:S PEA DAY

FIGURE

Figure 10 compares
operating plus capital
recovery costs for
roasting 2% sulfide COMPARISON OF OPERATING PLUS
sulfur total ore and CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS
concentrates derived
therefrom. FOR 2% SULFIDE WITH FLOTATION

Figure 10 also shows $40

that when flotation is
$35
used, the overall costs
for the three types of $30
pretreatment converge $25
as the tonnage T

increases to 4000 te/d. ~ $20

e
$15

$10

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

FIGURE 10
 13

The effect of flotation

on the costs is EFFECT OF FLOTATION ON OPERATING PLUS
illustrated in Figure CAPITAL RECOVERY COSTS USING 810-
11 which compares OXIDATION AND ROASTING ON 2% SULFIDE
operating plus capital
recovery for ClP,
roasting and biological
oxidation.

This graph shows how

?
flotation dramatically )
"
E
R
reduces the overall L
L T
A 0
costs to only $20/tonne "
5
N
N
at 4000 te/d versus E

$27-32/tonne with
whole ore.

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

F1Gl.II 11

The sulfide sulfur

content of the ore has
significant impact on EFFECT OF SULFUR CONTENT ON
the operating costs OPERATING PLUS CAPITAL
pius recovery of
capital. As shown in RECOVERY COSTS
Figure 12, the increase
in costs when the
sulfide doubles from 2
to 4% ranges from
only $2 per tonne for
roasting to $5-10 per o
p
E
tonne for bacterial o
L
R

oxidation. L
A 0
R
T
N
5 N
E

1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

FIGURE 12