Help on approach.

[kaisernine]

Hello, hopefully posted this in the right place.

So recently a dealer I work closely with was approached with a material that I wouldn't normally have a issue with refining however the quantity is somewhat overwhelming and I am curious of how some of you would approach it with different techniques.

I will list the pictures and composition, feel free to move the thread if posted in the wrong section. The material will vary in quantity month to month but generally 10000lb at a 85% moisture content. Obviously it will dry to a much lower mass.

Appreciate all the suggestions.

 

[Ravn]

Wich analytical method was used to quantify the elements; ICP, AAS, XRF?
Is the analytical result based on dry matter?

Dry matter/month: 0,454 kg/lb x 10000 lb x 0.15 = 681 kg

 

[kaisernine]

I am trying to get a sample shipped to me this week and all of that information you asked about myself, it looks like they sent a sample to a company called "Spectro" for analysis but i am not sure of the method used. I personally feel the concentrations have to be much lower... I have never seen it so high even in (considered amazing ) mining samples. I'm trying to figure out why a medical company would even have this type of material?

 

[4metals]

I would not rely on anything that wasn't an instrument analysis meaning Atomic Absorption or preferably ICP. Even with the water weight, and just concentrating on the Silver and Gold it is viable for a leaching process.

 

[kaisernine]

I figured leaching would be a great way to go, I am however worried about the time frame. Acquiring the amount we would get per month I am not sure we could keep up with that but it's not going to be hard to store I suppose.

I am hoping to run a sample even with whatever analysis they give me I like to see the actual product.

I appreciate all of the responses.

 

[Martijn]

I figured leaching would be a great way to go, I am however worried about the time frame. Acquiring the amount we would get per month I am not sure we could keep up with that but it's not going to be hard to store I suppose.

I am hoping to run a sample even with whatever analysis they give me I like to see the actual product.

I appreciate all of the responses.

I wonder if the high iron content will cement out values as soon as they are leached, and if roasting, grinding and magnetic separation should help speed the recovery time up?

 

[4metals]

Perform your leach test with bottle roll testers. Action mining sells them. This will allow you to test the proper pre treatment and leach system and determine it's effectiveness on the ore.

 

[kaisernine]

I wonder if the high iron content will cement out values as soon as they are leached, and if roasting, grinding and magnetic separation should help speed the recovery time up?

I have not gotten a sample yet but I was hoping I could do some form of mechanical separation with the iron, before having to resort to dilute sulfuric or something like smelting it out...

 

[kaisernine]

I will look into these, they are rather new to me but seem very useful to have for testing.

Perform your leach test with bottle roll testers. Action mining sells them. This will allow you to test the proper pre treatment and leach system and determine it's effectiveness on the ore.

 

[goldshark]

Another concern is how the values are combined with the Iron majority. Are they already a precipitated particle on Fe, independent particles from the Fe, in a dilute solution, what? A. little info on the prior use would be helpful, but also understand the nature of the business.

 

[kaisernine]

Another concern is how the values are combined with the Iron majority. Are they already a precipitated particle on Fe, independent particles from the Fe, in a dilute solution, what? A. little info on the prior use would be helpful, but also understand the nature of the business.

I am not sure they will tell me how they come about the material specifically, I am hoping it isn't alloyed in a way that make separation difficult, I think there are many ways to go about this type of material if the sample they send me checks out to be correct, I know the dealer I work with will also send out a sample for further analysis before we negotiate the contract. I just never had anyone approach me with the quantity and their own testing done like this before. I am a bit skeptical as the values are greater than I have ever seen before in a material like this so I am going to have to run several samples I believe they are sending several pounds to us so I will run multiple tests and have a few sent off.

I like the leaching idea if I can get rid of a lot of iron I could make a smaller profile leaching drum I can rotate on a motor.

I wonder if there is a way to electro-refine the sludge removing the iron? I have done this with copper to recover pm slimes but I wonder if I could do it with iron... I do have access to a few rectifiers I kept from the plating shop that closed.

 

[kaisernine]

4metals what leaching agent would you recommend for use in your opinion? I see there are a lot of new products on the market but a lot of them are probably the same product under different names. Temperature would depend on the product used - winter here so it will be fun trying to keep temperature in check. I'll need to make a temperature controller with some drum heater bands.

Sample is on the way, if it really is 75% iron that is a lot to try and remove with other methods if it is not mechanically possible... so leaching may be the only sensible way we could go.