Polymeric Agglomerating Agents for the Gold Mining Industry

Cement is used as an established agglomerating agent in gold heap leaching operations to maintain heap permeability and prevent migration of fines. In addition to agglomeration, cement provides protective alkalinity control. However, the amount of cement needed for agglomeration is usually very different from the amount necessary for pH control. As a result, cement is usually added in excess. Overdose of cement can result in reduced gold recovery and/or lengthy detoxification. Betz Laboratories has identified polymeric agents that provide the benefits of cement without negatively impacting gold recovery when used alone or with lime. Independent laboratory tests also strongly suggest that the polymer/lime system can significantly reduce heap detoxification time.