STUDY OF THE REMOVAL OF WATER-SOLUBLE COPPER COMPOUNDS FROM HEAP-LEACHING GOLD WASTES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL FACTORS

Abstract

The technology of heap leaching (HL) is characterized by low capital and exploitation costs and is presently widely applied in Russia for processing gold ores. In this method, the broken ore mass is piled (heaped) on a hydroisolated base and sprayed with Na cyanide solution to extract noble metals. After the extraction of Au and Ag, considerable amounts of wastes are formed, including spent ores containing moisture with highly toxic components, such as cyanides, thiocyanates, and heavy metals. The long-term safe storage of these wastes requires their detoxication.