Gold recovery from the pregnant solution can be treated by Merryl Crowe or activated carbon process. Each process has advantages and disadvantages. The next tables indicate them.
Table 1 Recovery with Merryl Crowe.
Advantage
Disadvantage
- Low operational cost.
- Low capital cost.
- Easy maintenance.
- Ideal for high content of silver.
- Pregnant solution needs a previous treatment.
- Process is sensible to ionic reactions.
- Solutions with low concentration require major zinc dust.
Table 2 Recovery with Activated Carbon
Advantage
Disadvantage
- Pregnant solution does not need a previous treatment.
- Accept slimed ores and some type of carbonaceous ores.
- Good recoveries.
- If there is high content of silver, it is necessary add more carbon.
- Carbon can be saturated with calcium, magnesium, and copper salts.
