Impact of silver sulphides on gold cyanidation with polymetal sulphides

Gold leaching was influenced in association with silver and polymetal sulphide minerals. A packed bed was adopted to single out the galvanic and passivation effects with four sets of minerals: pyrite–silica, chalcopyrite–silica, sphalerite–silica and stibnite–silica. Pyrargyrite enhanced Au recovery to 77.3% and 51.2% under galvanic and passivation effects from pyrite (vs 74.6% and 15.8%). Pyrargyrite in association with sphalerite also enhanced Au recovery to 6.6% and 51.9% (vs 1.6% and 15.6%) under galvanic and passivation effects from sphalerite. Pyrargyrite associated with chalcopyrite retarded gold recovery to 38.0% and 12.1% (vs 57% and 14.1%) under galvanic and passivation effects. Accumulative silver minerals enhanced Au recovery to 90.6% and 81.1% (vs 74.6% and 15.8%) under galvanic and passivation impacts from pyrite. Silver minerals with sphalerite under galvanic and passivation effects enhanced Au recovery to 71.1% and 80.5% (vs 1.6% and 15.6%). Silver minerals associated with chalcopyrite retarded Au recovery to 10.2% and 4.5% under galvanic and passivation impacts (vs 57% and 14.1%). Stibnite retarded Au dissolution with pyrargyrite and accumulative silver minerals. Pyrargyrite and accumulative silver enhanced gold dissolution for free gold and gold associated with pyrite and sphalerite. Gold dissolution was retarded for gold and silver minerals associated with chalcopyrite and stibnite.