Engineering and Applied Sciences

| Peer-Reviewed |

Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon

Received: Jun. 30, 2020    Accepted: Jul. 20, 2020    Published: Jul. 30, 2020
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The ability of the fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium to reduce preg-robbing of carbonaceous matter (CM) in gold ores has been confirmed by many researchers, and studies are ongoing to minimize the effect of entrained biomass on subsequent gold leaching and adsorption processes. This paper presents a study on gold extraction from surrogate carbonaceous gold ore (CGO), and fungal-treated CGO to ascertain the influence of entrained biomass on the downstream carbon-in-leach (CIL) process. The surrogate CGO was prepared by adding 3% anthracite-grade CM to free-milling gold ore (FGO). The main minerals in the FGO were quartz, feldspar and sericite, with 8.4 g/t gold, 0.18% sulphide sulphur and 0.06% organic carbon. Aside biotreatment of the CGO with cell-free liquor of P. chrysosporium, anthracite and activated carbon (AC) were also contacted with P. chrysosporium to confirm the direct effect of biomass on the CMs’ ability to preg-rob aurocyanide. Preg-robbing effect of the as-received anthracite and AC were 95% and 80% respectively, and these reduced to 81% and 13% respectively. Water-washing, acid-washing and alkaline-washing of the treated CMs returned respective preg-robbing effects of 88%, 92% and 85% for AC and 32%, 38% and 28% for anthracite. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of anthracite revealed a decrease in the degree of orderliness in the structure required for gold adsorption. The FGO and the prepared CGO gave cyanidation gold recoveries of 94.5% and 54.8% respectively. Following cell-free treatment of the CGO, direct cyanidation recorded 88.3% solution recovery, which was increased to 91.3% in CIL. The overall recovery onto activated carbon in CIL was 81%, which improved to 82% and 85% respectively after washing the fungal-treated CGO with water and NaOH. The results here affirm that thorough washing of fungal-treated CGO assists in removing some entrained biomass. However, the results also call for additional studies on purification of the cell-free liquor to further minimize the biomass effect, and sustainability of the enzyme activity during pretreatment to enhance the overall gold recovery.

DOI 10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11
Published in Engineering and Applied Sciences ( Volume 5, Issue 4, August 2020 )
Page(s) 71-78
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Carbon-in-Leach, Fungal Biomass, Activated Carbon, Anthracite, Carbonaceous Gold Ore, Free-milling Ore

References
[1] M. Aylmore and A. Jaffer, “Evaluating process options for treating some refractory ores”, Proceedings of Alta Gold Conference 2012, Perth, Australia, 2012.
[2] J. Marsden and I. House, The chemistry of gold extraction, 2nd ed., Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. Littleton, Colorado, (2016), pp 42-44, 111-126, 161-177, 191-193, 233-263, 297-333.
[3] S. E., Hutchins, J. A. Brierley, C. L. Brierley, “Microbial pretreatment of refractory sulfide and carbonaceous ores improves the economics of gold recovery”, Mining Engineering, Vol. 40 (1988), pp. 249-254.
[4] C. L. Brierley, “Mining biotechnology: research to commercial development and beyond”, In: Rawlings, D. E. (Ed.), Biomining: theory. microbes and industrial processes, Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 1997, p. 3.
[5] D. E. Rawlings, “Industrial practice and the biology of leaching of metals from ores”, J. of Industrial Microbiol. Biotechnol., 20 (1998), p. 268.
[6] R. K. Amankwah, W. T. Yen, and J. Ramsay, “A two-stage bacterial pretreatment process for double refractory gold ores”, Miner. Eng., 18 (2005), p. 103.
[7] M. T. Madigan, J. M. Martinko, 2006, “Brock’s biology of microorganisms”, 11th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, pp 469-472, 691-692.
[8] G. Ofori-Sarpong, and K. Osseo-Asare, “Preg-robbing of gold from cyanide and non-cyanide complexes: effect of fungi pretreatment of carbonaceous matter”, Int. J. Miner. Process, 119 (2013), p. 27.
[9] H. Tan, D. Feng, G. Lukey and J. van Deventer, “The behaviour of carbonaceous matter in cyanide leaching of gold”, Hydrometallurgy, 78 (2005), p. 226.
[10] G. Ofori-Sarpong, K. Osseo-Asare, and M. Tien, “Mycohydrometallurgy: biotransformation of double refractory gold ores by the fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium”, Hydrometallurgy, 137 (2013b), p. 38.
[11] D. M. Hausen, and C. H. Bucknam, “Study of preg robbing in the cyanidation of carbonaceous gold ores from Carlin, Nevada”, [in] Proceedings of 2nd Int. Congress on Appl. Mineral., AIME, Warrendale, PA, (1985), p. 833.
[12] P. A. Schmitz, S. Duyvesteyn, W. P. Johnson, L. Enloe, and J. McMullen, “Adsorption of aurocyanide complexes onto carbonaceous matter from preg-robbing goldstrike ore”, Hydrometallurgy, 61 (2001), p. 121.
[13] A. S. Adam, G. Ofori-Sarpong, and R. K. Amankwah, “Assessing the challenges in the extraction of gold from bacterial-treated double-refractory concentrate”, [in] Proceedings of the SME Annual Meeting, Feb. 19 - 22, 2017, Denver, CO, Preprint 17-014, p. 1.
[14] G. Ofori-Sarpong, A. S. Adam, R. K. Asamoah and R. K. Amankwah, “Characterisation of Biooxidation Feed and Products for Improved Understanding of Biooxidation and Gold Extraction Performance”, International Journal of Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy. Vol. 5, No. 2, (2020), pp. 20.
[15] R. J. Portier, 1991. Bio-hydrometallurgical processing of ores, and microorganisms therefore. US Patent No. 5,021,088.
[16] J. A. Brierley, and C. F. Kulpa, “Biometallurgical treatment of precious metal ores having refractory carbon content”, US Patent, 5 (1993), p. 244.
[17] R. K. Amankwah, W. T. Yen, Effect of carbonaceous characteristics on biodegradation and preg-robbing behaviour, in: Proceedings of the 23rd International Mineral Processing Congress, Promed Advertising Limited, Instanbul, (2006), 1445-1451.
[18] W. T. Yen, R. K. Amankwah and Y. Choi, “Microbial pre-treatment of double refractory gold ores”, [in] Proceedings of the 6th Int. Symposium, Hydrometallurgy 2008, Phoenix, USA, SME, Littleton, CO, (2008), p. 506.
[19] G. Ofori-Sarpong, M. Tien, K. Osseo-Asare, “Myco-hydrometallurgy: Coal model for potential reduction of preg-robbing capacity of carbonaceous gold ores using the fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium”, Hydrometallurgy, 102 (2010) p. 66.
[20] G. Ofori-Sarpong and R. K. Amankwah, K. Osseo-Asare, “Reduction of Preg-Robbing by Biomodified Carbonaceous Matter–A Proposed Mechanism”, Minerals Engineering, Vol. 42 (2013a) p. 29.
[21] Q. Liu, H. Y. Yang, L. L. Tong, “Influence of Phanerochaete chrysosporium on degradation and preg-robbing of activated carbon”, Trans. Nonferrous Metals Soc. China 24 (6), 2014, p. 1905.
[22] K. T. Konadu, K. Sasaki, T. Kaneta, G. Ofori-Sarpong, K. Osseo-Asare, “Bio-modification of carbonaceous matter in gold ores: model experiments using powdered activated carbon and cell-free spent medium of Phanerochaete chrysosporium”, Hydrometallurgy, 168 (2017a), p. 76.
[23] Q. Liu, H. Y. Yang, L. L. Tong, Z. Jin, W. Sand, “Fungal degradation of elemental carbon in Carbonaceous gold ore”, Hydrometallurgy, 160 (2016), p. 90.
[24] H. Y., Yang, Q. Liu, X. L. Song, J. K., Dong, 2013. Research status of carbonaceous matter in carbonaceous gold ores and bio-oxidation pretreatment. Trans. Nonferr. Met. Soc. China 23, (2013), 3405–3411. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1003-6326(13)62881-2.
[25] K. T. Konadu, S. T. L. Harrison, K. Osseo-Asarea, K. Sasaki, “Transformation of the carbonaceous matter in double refractory gold ore by crude lignin peroxidase released from the white-rot fungus”, International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 143 (2019a), 104735.
[26] G. Ofori-Sarpong, K. Osseo-Asare, and M. Tien, “Pretreatment of Refractory Gold Ores using Cell-Free Extracts of Phanerochaete chrysosporium: a Preliminary Study”, Advanced Materials Research, 825 (2013c), p. 427.
[27] R. C. Bonnah, B. Ocran, C. S. Diko, and G. Ofori-Sarpong, “Effect of Fungal Treatment on Gold Adsorption by Activated Carbon –A Preliminary Study”, In: Proceedings of the 4thUMaT Biennial International Mining and Mineral Conference, 3rd to 6th August, 2016, p. 189.
[28] G. Ofori-Sarpong, K. Osseo-Asare, R. Osei and R. K. Amankwah, “Assessing the Parameters for Optimum Biotransformation of Carbonaceous Matter by Phanerochaete chrysosporium” Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering, Vol. 5, No. 6 (2017a), p. 107.
[29] A. E. Adzigbli, G. Ofori-Sarpong, and R. K. Amankwah, “Water Washing of Fungal-treated Carbonaceous Ores: Effect on Aurocyanide Adsorption by Activated Carbon in CIL Circuit”, Ghana Mining Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1 (2018), p. 65.
[30] M. Tien, T. K. Kirk, Lignin peroxidase of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Methods Enzymol. 161 (1988), 238–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/0076-6879(88)61025-1.
[31] K. T. Konadu, K. Sasaki, K. Osseo-Asare, and T. Kaneta, “Enzymatic Pre-Treatment of Carbonaceous Matter in Preg-Robbing Gold Ores: Effect of Ferrous Ion Additives”, Solid State Phenomena, 262 (2017b), p. 43.
[32] S. Potgietero-Vermaak, N. Maledi, N. Wagner, J. H. P Van Heerden, R. Van Grieken, J. H Potgieter, “Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of coal: A review”, J. Raman Spectrosc. (2011), 42, p. 123.
[33] Y. Xie, J. You, L. Lu, M. Wang and J. Wang, 2019, Raman Spectroscopic Study of Coal Samples during Heating, Appl. Sci., 9 (2019), p. 4699.
[34] S. A. Ibrado, D. W. Fuerstenau, “Effect of the structure of carbon adsorbents on the adsorption of gold cyanide”, Hydrometallurgy, Vol. 30 (1992), p. 243.
[35] G. Ofori-Sarpong, D. K. Adjei and R. K. Amankwah, “Fungal-Transformation of Surrogate Sulphides and Carbonaceous Matter in Refractory Gold Ores: Revisited”, Ghana Mining Journal, Vol. 17, No. 2 (2017b), p. 56.
[36] K. T. Konadu, R. J. Huddy, S. T. L. Harrison, K. Osseo-Asare, Keiko Sasaki, Sequential pretreatment of double refractory gold ore (DRGO) with a thermophilic iron oxidizing archeaon and fungal crude enzymes”, Minerals Engineering 138 (2019b), p. 86.
[37] B. L. Pyke, R. F. Johnston, P. Brooks, “The Characterisation and Behaviour of Carbonaceous Material in a Refractory Gold Bearing Ore”, Minerals Engineering, Vol. 12 (1999), p. 851
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Grace Ofori-Sarpong, Charles Ebenezer Abbey, Nelson Akuoko Sarpong, Richard Kwasi Amankwah. (2020). Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon. Engineering and Applied Sciences, 5(4), 71-78. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Grace Ofori-Sarpong; Charles Ebenezer Abbey; Nelson Akuoko Sarpong; Richard Kwasi Amankwah. Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon. Eng. Appl. Sci. 2020, 5(4), 71-78. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Grace Ofori-Sarpong, Charles Ebenezer Abbey, Nelson Akuoko Sarpong, Richard Kwasi Amankwah. Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon. Eng Appl Sci. 2020;5(4):71-78. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11,
      author = {Grace Ofori-Sarpong and Charles Ebenezer Abbey and Nelson Akuoko Sarpong and Richard Kwasi Amankwah},
      title = {Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon},
      journal = {Engineering and Applied Sciences},
      volume = {5},
      number = {4},
      pages = {71-78},
      doi = {10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eas.20200504.11},
      abstract = {The ability of the fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium to reduce preg-robbing of carbonaceous matter (CM) in gold ores has been confirmed by many researchers, and studies are ongoing to minimize the effect of entrained biomass on subsequent gold leaching and adsorption processes. This paper presents a study on gold extraction from surrogate carbonaceous gold ore (CGO), and fungal-treated CGO to ascertain the influence of entrained biomass on the downstream carbon-in-leach (CIL) process. The surrogate CGO was prepared by adding 3% anthracite-grade CM to free-milling gold ore (FGO). The main minerals in the FGO were quartz, feldspar and sericite, with 8.4 g/t gold, 0.18% sulphide sulphur and 0.06% organic carbon. Aside biotreatment of the CGO with cell-free liquor of P. chrysosporium, anthracite and activated carbon (AC) were also contacted with P. chrysosporium to confirm the direct effect of biomass on the CMs’ ability to preg-rob aurocyanide. Preg-robbing effect of the as-received anthracite and AC were 95% and 80% respectively, and these reduced to 81% and 13% respectively. Water-washing, acid-washing and alkaline-washing of the treated CMs returned respective preg-robbing effects of 88%, 92% and 85% for AC and 32%, 38% and 28% for anthracite. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of anthracite revealed a decrease in the degree of orderliness in the structure required for gold adsorption. The FGO and the prepared CGO gave cyanidation gold recoveries of 94.5% and 54.8% respectively. Following cell-free treatment of the CGO, direct cyanidation recorded 88.3% solution recovery, which was increased to 91.3% in CIL. The overall recovery onto activated carbon in CIL was 81%, which improved to 82% and 85% respectively after washing the fungal-treated CGO with water and NaOH. The results here affirm that thorough washing of fungal-treated CGO assists in removing some entrained biomass. However, the results also call for additional studies on purification of the cell-free liquor to further minimize the biomass effect, and sustainability of the enzyme activity during pretreatment to enhance the overall gold recovery.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Carbon-in-Leach Gold Recovery from Fungi-treated Carbonaceous Ore: Effect of Entrained Biomass on Activity of Activated Carbon
    AU  - Grace Ofori-Sarpong
    AU  - Charles Ebenezer Abbey
    AU  - Nelson Akuoko Sarpong
    AU  - Richard Kwasi Amankwah
    Y1  - 2020/07/30
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11
    T2  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
    JF  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
    JO  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
    SP  - 71
    EP  - 78
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1468
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20200504.11
    AB  - The ability of the fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium to reduce preg-robbing of carbonaceous matter (CM) in gold ores has been confirmed by many researchers, and studies are ongoing to minimize the effect of entrained biomass on subsequent gold leaching and adsorption processes. This paper presents a study on gold extraction from surrogate carbonaceous gold ore (CGO), and fungal-treated CGO to ascertain the influence of entrained biomass on the downstream carbon-in-leach (CIL) process. The surrogate CGO was prepared by adding 3% anthracite-grade CM to free-milling gold ore (FGO). The main minerals in the FGO were quartz, feldspar and sericite, with 8.4 g/t gold, 0.18% sulphide sulphur and 0.06% organic carbon. Aside biotreatment of the CGO with cell-free liquor of P. chrysosporium, anthracite and activated carbon (AC) were also contacted with P. chrysosporium to confirm the direct effect of biomass on the CMs’ ability to preg-rob aurocyanide. Preg-robbing effect of the as-received anthracite and AC were 95% and 80% respectively, and these reduced to 81% and 13% respectively. Water-washing, acid-washing and alkaline-washing of the treated CMs returned respective preg-robbing effects of 88%, 92% and 85% for AC and 32%, 38% and 28% for anthracite. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy of anthracite revealed a decrease in the degree of orderliness in the structure required for gold adsorption. The FGO and the prepared CGO gave cyanidation gold recoveries of 94.5% and 54.8% respectively. Following cell-free treatment of the CGO, direct cyanidation recorded 88.3% solution recovery, which was increased to 91.3% in CIL. The overall recovery onto activated carbon in CIL was 81%, which improved to 82% and 85% respectively after washing the fungal-treated CGO with water and NaOH. The results here affirm that thorough washing of fungal-treated CGO assists in removing some entrained biomass. However, the results also call for additional studies on purification of the cell-free liquor to further minimize the biomass effect, and sustainability of the enzyme activity during pretreatment to enhance the overall gold recovery.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Minerals Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana

  • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, USA

  • Processing Section, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa, Ghana

  • Department of Minerals Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana

  • Section