Non-traditional high-energy processes for disintegration and exposure of finely disseminated mineral complexes

For the first time the modern non-traditional processes for treatment of rebellious noble metal-bearing mineral ore, aimed at improving disintegration efficiency for finely dispersed mineral complexes are analyzed. Advantages and perspectives of a new high-efficient, energy-saving and ecologically safe process of the nanosecond powerful electromagnetic impulse (PEMI) effect, are proved. The said process provides a stable increase in the valuable component recovery at lower energy consumption and production costs of the finite product at the stage of dressing rebellious gold-bearing ores and concentrated products. The possible mechanisms of mineral disintegration under PEMI effect are considered, experimental data, cited in the paper, prove high efficiency of the preliminary impulse treatment, thus, the increase in the gold recovery at the cyanidation stage amounted to 4–12 % from rebellious ores, 10–30 % from gravity concentrates, 5–45 % from flotation concentrates, 30–80 % from oil flotation tailings. __________ Translated from Fiziko-Tekhnicheskie Problemy Razrabotki Poleznykh Iskopaemykh, No. 3, pp. 107–128, May–June, 2007.