Lixiviant Irrigation System

For the alimentation of the lixiviant solution a net constituted by tubes of PVC was installed over the heap leaching. The main tubing is of 2” in diameter and the auxiliaries are of 1” in diameter; the poinyts of distribution of the solution are formed by a python of PVC of ¼” in diameter, over wich a piece of hose of latex of 3/16” in diameter and of approximately 12” in length is fixed, which for the pressure and velocity of the the outpouring of the water it acquires an osciliary movement which allows to irrigate in a uniform manner an area of 3m. of radius. This method of application of the lixiviant solution allows an appropriate oxygenation of the solutions, due to the fact that each drop of solution carries oxygen to the interior of the heap leaching.

The solution sweeps with the respective adjustments of cyanide and lime, it retakes to the circuit as a lixiviant solution, this solution is recirculated together with the water of replacement. The water of replacement is added to compensate the losses by evaporation which in the plant reached only a 3% of loss.

 The velocity of the alimentation of lixiviant solution for the operation is of 10 I/h/m2. once the operation has been finished, in other words, once it has reached the maximum recuperation, it will proceed to the percolation of fresh water through the heap leaching with the purpose of eliminating the remnant cyanide, the circulation of water will be effectuated until not detecting traces of cyanide in the effluent.

Lab Level Results
The results at a laboratory level (shaker and column) have demonstrated that, using the technique of lixiviation by cyanidation, is possible to recuperate the gold contained in the oxidated minerals, which can not be treated by the conventional process of flotation.

Which requires a broad closeness of the leveled parameters evaluated of laboratory with the scaling to be performed at a pilot plant. They can have many problems for not having an adequate correlation.

The results which will be obtained in this pilot operation will be useful as a base in treating a higher tonneage, in which one idea at a long lapse of time will be to complete in this previous stages and include other systems of lixiviation, as well as treating minerals with variable tenors of gold.