Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

Marja Rinne; Heini Elomaa; Sipi Seisko; Mari Lundstrom

doi:10.1080/08827508.2021.1910510

Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

Marja Rinne, Heini Elomaa, Sipi Seisko, Mari Lundstrom^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

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Abstract

A simulation-based life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the impacts of different cyanide-free chloride processing routes for refractory ores to determine whether one-stage leaching of gold from the ores could be advantageous over chloride leaching after conventional pressure oxidation from an environmental perspective. It was shown that both leaching conditions and the refractoriness of the ore strongly affect the environmental impacts of the process. The global warming potential in the direct leaching route was determined to vary between 7.7–17.0 t CO₂-eq for 1 kg gold/Au. Prerequisites for the sustainable application of the direct leaching process are suggested.

Original language	English
Number of pages	12
Journal	Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review
Early online date	13 Apr 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08827508.2021.1910510
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 13 Apr 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

environmental impacts
halide leaching
non-cyanide lixiviants
process development
Sustainability

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/08827508.2021.1910510Licence: CC BY

CHEM_Rinne_et_al_Direct_Cupric_Chloride_2021_Mineral_Processing_and_Extractive_Metallurgy_ReviewFinal published version, 2.23 MBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment",

abstract = "A simulation-based life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the impacts of different cyanide-free chloride processing routes for refractory ores to determine whether one-stage leaching of gold from the ores could be advantageous over chloride leaching after conventional pressure oxidation from an environmental perspective. It was shown that both leaching conditions and the refractoriness of the ore strongly affect the environmental impacts of the process. The global warming potential in the direct leaching route was determined to vary between 7.7–17.0 t CO2-eq for 1 kg gold/Au. Prerequisites for the sustainable application of the direct leaching process are suggested.",

keywords = "environmental impacts, halide leaching, non-cyanide lixiviants, process development, Sustainability",

author = "Marja Rinne and Heini Elomaa and Sipi Seisko and Mari Lundstrom",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Emil Aaltonen Foundation for financially supporting the “Sustainable gold” project. The study was also supported by GoldTail (Grant No. 319691), funded by the Academy of Finland, and the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion. This work was also supported by “RawMatTERS Finland Infrastructure” (RAMI) by the Academy of Finland. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

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doi = "10.1080/08827508.2021.1910510",

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AU - Elomaa, Heini

AU - Seisko, Sipi

AU - Lundstrom, Mari

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Emil Aaltonen Foundation for financially supporting the “Sustainable gold” project. The study was also supported by GoldTail (Grant No. 319691), funded by the Academy of Finland, and the Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion. This work was also supported by “RawMatTERS Finland Infrastructure” (RAMI) by the Academy of Finland. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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N2 - A simulation-based life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the impacts of different cyanide-free chloride processing routes for refractory ores to determine whether one-stage leaching of gold from the ores could be advantageous over chloride leaching after conventional pressure oxidation from an environmental perspective. It was shown that both leaching conditions and the refractoriness of the ore strongly affect the environmental impacts of the process. The global warming potential in the direct leaching route was determined to vary between 7.7–17.0 t CO2-eq for 1 kg gold/Au. Prerequisites for the sustainable application of the direct leaching process are suggested.

AB - A simulation-based life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the impacts of different cyanide-free chloride processing routes for refractory ores to determine whether one-stage leaching of gold from the ores could be advantageous over chloride leaching after conventional pressure oxidation from an environmental perspective. It was shown that both leaching conditions and the refractoriness of the ore strongly affect the environmental impacts of the process. The global warming potential in the direct leaching route was determined to vary between 7.7–17.0 t CO2-eq for 1 kg gold/Au. Prerequisites for the sustainable application of the direct leaching process are suggested.

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KW - halide leaching

KW - non-cyanide lixiviants

KW - process development

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Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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GoldTail: Towards Sustainable Gold Recovery from Tailings (GoldTail)

Raw Materials Research Infrastructure

Cite this

Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

SFX availability

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

GoldTail: Towards Sustainable Gold Recovery from Tailings (GoldTail)

Equipment

Raw Materials Research Infrastructure

Cite this