SULFIDE TREATMENT TO INHIBIT MERCURY ADSORPTION ONTO ACTIVATED CARBON IN CARBON-IN-PULP GOLD RECOVERY CIRCUITS

摘要

Case-185ABSTRACTIn this invention sulfide compounds are added tomercury and precious metal-containing carbonaceous oreslurries prior to the slurry being processed by acarbon-in-pulp system. The sulfide compound inhibitsthe mercury from being adsorbed onto the activatedcarbon by reacting with the mercury to form mercuricsulfide and by inhibiting the dissolution of mercuryfrom the ore. The mercuric sulfide precipitate displaysno activity toward the activated carbon. The sulfidingprocedure is performed with a sufficient amount ofsulfide-providing compound to provide at least about 30times the stoichiometric amount of sulfide ions requiredto react with the mercury in the ore slurry.