Gold Loaded Carbon Stripping and Electrowinning Pilot Plant

The elution and electrowinning pilot system is a complete closed unit of integral Pressure Stripping (IPS). It will process 100kg Gold Loaded Carbon per batch

Its working temperature is 150 ^oC and working pressure is about 5 bar so the efficiency is high and total recycle time is about 10 to 12 hours. The main eluent is caustic soda, so the cost is low.

The gold loaded carbon is transported into the carbon storage hopper (E01). Then the carbon if discharged into the elution column (E02) before one cycle will be done.

The eluent in made of caustic soda and water in the preparation tank (E03). The eluent flows into the electwowinning cell (E04). When eluent overflows out of the solution box of electwowinning cell (E04), the circulating pump (E05) sends eluent into the bottom of the elution column (E02) pass the electric heater (E06). The eluent fills the elution clolumn (E02) and overflows. The solution flows through the filter (E07) and returns to the electwowinning cell (E04). When the level reaches the proper range, The eluent feeding is stopped.

After all external valves of the system are closed, the air compressor (E08) increases the system pressure to 0.3 MPa to check the air tightness. Then the circulating pump (E05) keeps running and the electric heater (E06) is swiched on to increase the temperature of solution. During recycle, the working temperature grows up to 150 ^oC and pressure becomes 5 bar because of heating. The hot solution strips gold cyanide complex from carbon and becomes pregnant solution after it overflows out of the elution column (E02). The filter (E07) catches any solid in pregnant solution. When pregnant solution flows into the electrowinning cell (E04) which consisting of a series of anodes and cathodes powered by the rectifier cabinet (E10), metal sludge is precipitated onto the cathodes.

While the cycle is finished, the steam is dischaerge to the exhaust pipe of the the eluent preparation tank (E03) and the condensed solution flows into the eluent preparation tank (E03) for reuse. Then the water is fed into the elution column (E02) to cool carbon. After that, the stripped carbon is discraged of the elution column (E02).

The complete cycle is controlled by the automation cabinet (E09).

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