Boosting Gold Recovery: A Case Study on DEHSCOFIX® DG30

CHALLENGE

A gold processing plant in New Zealand sought to improve gold recovery efficiency while addressing high Total Organic Carbon (TOC) levels. Elevated TOC increased the Preg-Robbing Factor (PRF), reducing the plant’s ability to efficiently recover gold during the Carbon-In-Leach (CIL) process. The traditional use of kerosene as a carbon blanking agent offered limited efficacy, prompting the need for a more effective solution.

SOLUTION

The plant trialed Innospec’s DEHSCOFIX® DG30 as a carbon blanking agent, comparing its performance against kerosene. The trial involved introducing both agents to the CCD UF concentrate while maintaining standard procedures. Data was collected over 12 months to evaluate the impact on PRF levels and gold recovery. DEHSCOFIX® DG30 was selected for its potential to enhance adsorption efficiency by lowering PRF levels.

RESULTS

The year-long trial demonstrated that DEHSCOFIX® DG30 significantly outperformed kerosene in several key *metrics:

• Gold Recovery: Improved by 1.2% compared to baseline data.
• PRF Reduction: Achieved a 14.3% reduction, surpassing kerosene’s 9.7%.
• Reagent Consumption: Reduced by 40%, enhancing overall plant efficiency.
  The grade-recovery curve for DEHSCOFIX® DG30 consistently showed better performance across varying feed grades in the CIL circuit.

*the above figures are sourced from the final report.

CONCLUSION

Innospec’s DEHSCOFIX® DG30 proved to be a superior carbon blanking agent for gold recovery operations. Its ability to reduce PRF levels and reagent consumption while boosting gold recovery underscores its value for gold processing plants aiming to optimise efficiency and sustainability. This successful trial highlights the potential for innovative solutions like DEHSCOFIX® DG30 to drive significant operational improvements in the gold mining industry.

Contact us for more information and how we can help you with your Mineral Processing needs.

Innospec supplies a range of products for mineral processing with a specific focus on forth flotation and hydrometallurgy. Whether your focus is selectivity, kinetics, stability, water-solubility, or particle size, their range of foaming agents offers a full spectrum of foam quality properties being able to provide in each specific case the type of sparkling agent required for the grade of mineral being processed, while ensuring your dosing regimen is optimised, extracting the maximum amount of metal per unit cost.