Cyanide Recovery from Gold Extraction Process Waste Effluents by Ion Exchange II. Modelling of the Fixed Bed Operation |
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| Authors: | M Torre D Bachiller J P Fernández M Rendueles |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology Department , University of Oviedo , Oviedo , Spain;2. Department of Mine Exploitation and Prospecting , University of Oviedo , Spain;3. Project Management Area , University of Oviedo , Oviedo , Spain |
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| Abstract: | Abstract An ion exchange operation in a fixed bed column is tested as a method to recover copper cyanide complexes from gold extraction process waste effluents. With this aim in mind, load and elution breakthrough curves are obtained using the anionic resin Lewatit MP500. A good performance of the resin in the load stage can be deduced from the breakthrough curves obtained in all the assays at two different pHs (12, 8.5). After load step operation, column elution was carried out using NaSCN 1.25 M as eluent. A good elution peak is obtained in all cases, indicating a good performance of the resin and the eluent in this stage. With the aim of testing the design of the industrial operation, a phenomenological model is tested by fitting experimental data to theoretical equations. The model used for the simulation of both steps incorporates axial dispersion, ion exchange equilibrium, and diffusion inside particles described by the linear driving force approximation, as well as taking into account the fact that the resistance to mass transfer controls the kinetics of the ion exchange process. The models are able to simulate the experimental load and elution results reasonably well. |
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| Keywords: | Ion exchange copper cyanide complexes fixed bed column breakthrough curves model industrial simulation |
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