The Filblast Cyanidation Process incorporating intense high shear mixing, high gas mass transfer efficiency and high oxygen concentrations under conditions of elevated pressure has now been been successfully applied in gold cyanidation mills since May 1993. The first commercial unit had a slurry capacity of 110 cubic metres per hour. Since then 230 and 450 cubic metre per hour units have been installed and a 1,000 cubic metre per hour unit has been designed. Laboratory and pilot plant Filblasts have also been built. The reactor is a robust, compact in-line or end-of-line device and may be constructed out of a wide range of materials including wear and corrosion resistant alloys and ceramics. The Filblast Process may be applied to high temperature leaching of refractory gold ores and base metal concentrates. The development and application of the Filblast Gas Shear Reactor as a cyanidation tool has removed the constraints of plant size in cyanidation applications in mobile or readily transportable gold ore treatment plant with the Filblast and AARL Pump Cell as core technologies is nearing completion. This plant includes several novel features which are predicted to achieve widespread adaptation in modern cyanidation plants. This paper presents a brief review of the development of the technology and the principles incorporated in the Filblast system. A number of case studies are presented which show significant financial benefits due to more efficient reagent utilisation, higher recovery and increased through-put.
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