Justification of a sorption leaching circuit for fine-grained and flake gold from tailings of placer sand washing

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2025-4S-82-86

Читать на русскоя языкеA.G. Sekisov , N.M. Litvinova, A.E. Kopylova
Mining Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №4S / 2025 p. 82-86

Abstract: Depletion of placer deposits containing gravity-concentrated gold objectively implies the need to use physical and chemical geotechnologies in their development, i.e. heap, cuvette, vat or drillhole in-situ leaching. A vat leaching circuit is proposed for fine-grained and flake gold, which is mostly lost with the tails during washing of placer sands. This circuit involves vat leaching with in-situ sorption of dissolved gold from the pulp, ensuring maximum recovery of the precious metal while minimizing environmental damage. The article discusses the technology of sorption leaching of gold from man-made placers, implemented using a device that reduces the processing cycle time and increases the operational capacity of the sorbent, thereby improving gold recovery (re-extraction). The results are presented of experiments on activation leaching of hard-to-extract gold forms, utilizing various complexing reagents, with parameters for preparing technological solutions and pulp processing systematically varied.

Keywords: placer deposits, gravity-concentrated gold, fine-grained gold, flake gold, physico-chemical geotechnologies, cuvette leaching, in-situ sorption leaching, photoelectrochemical preparation of solutions

Acknowledgements: The research was conducted at the Centre for Mineral Research Core Shared Research Facilities of the Khabarovsk Research Centre, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

For citation: Sekisov A.G., Litvinova N.M., Kopylova A.E. Justification of a sorption leaching circuit for fine-grained and flake gold from tailings of placer sand washing. Russian Mining Industry. 2025;(4S):82–86. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2025-4S-82-86

Article info

Received: 22.06.2025

Revised: 13.08.2025

Accepted: 21.08.2025

Information about the authors

Artur G. Sekisov – Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Deputy Director for Research, Mining Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Natalya M. Litvinova – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Research Associate, Laboratory of Mineral Processing, Mining Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russian Federation

Aleksandra E. Kopylova – Junior Research Associate, Laboratory of Mineral Processing, Mining Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russian Federation

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