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GOLD ACRES BIOLOGICAL HEAP DETOXIFICATION
Citation:
JORDAN, D. M., D. R. BLESS, P. J. CLARK, AND M. MANSFIELD. GOLD ACRES BIOLOGICAL HEAP DETOXIFICATION. Presented at Gold and Copper Mining/Processing Assistance Dialogue, Cincinnati, OH, September 13, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public
Description:
Many active mine sites, mines in closure stage and some abandoned mines are and have utilized cyanidation to remove and recover precious metals. Discharges from these sites normally contain significant amounts of metal cyanide complexes and concentrations of thiocyanate, soluble heavy metals and ammonia, nitrate and sulfate. In a previous demonstration through the Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP), Cyanide Heap Biological Detoxification, four biological technologies were evaluated in large-scale column testing as to their effectiveness in reducing cyanide and heavy metals to at or below regulatory limits within acceptable timeframe and with low operational costs. Phase II of this demonstration (the technology which showed significant reduction of cyanide and heavy metals within 120 days) was emplaced in the fall of 2004 at a cyanide heap leach pad located at the Cortez Mine in Crescent Valley, Nevada. The progress of the heap detoxification was monitored through November of 2005. The project objective is to provide a cost effective biological treatment alternative to Cortez Gold Mine based on the Whitlock & Associates biological technology. The results of this demonstration will be presented and discussed.