The use of ion exchange resins for the treatment of cyanidation tailings part 1––process development of selective base metal elution

This work investigates the use of oxidative acid eluents for the elution of base metals from strong base ion exchange resins. Eluents composed of a mixture of H₂O₂ and H₂SO₄ were tested for eluting base metals from resins loaded with mixtures of base and precious metal cyanides. This process removed 100% of Cu and Zn loaded on the resin, without affecting the precious metal loading. It was found that copper could be removed separately from the other base metals. The elution technique was not effective for removing iron from the resin. Cyanide associated with base metals was recovered as NaCN. Some oxidation of cyanide was noticed, subject to the elution conditions.This oxidative acid elution process could be used in commercial operations for the selective elution of base metals from a strong base ion exchange resin bed operating in alternative adsorption/base metal elution cycles. Thus, virtually all metal cyanide species could be recovered from cyanide leached solutions or slurries to give relatively clean tailings without compromising precious metal recovery efficiency. The process also caters for cyanide recovery and recycling.