CANMET-MMSL metallurgists can help optimize your metallurgical processes. We specialize in:

• Comminution
• Magnetic separation
• Flotation
• Leaching
• Base metals
• Gold metallurgy
• High temperature processing
• Mineralogy

Leaching

Leaching processes are at the heart of many of the innovative hydrometallurgical processes being developed for base and precious metals. To optimize the leaching unit operation and to ensure its effective integration into the overall processing flowsheet, it is necessary to understand the reactions actually occurring and the interactions of the parameters affecting those reactions. This applies especially to the rate controlling process and its mechanism. An equally important consideration is the behaviour of toxic species during the leaching process and whether these can be stabilized in situ in the leach residue. The recovery of precious metals during the leaching operation depends on the nature of the precious metals in the residue and the species associated with the precious metals. CANMET-MMSL's metallurgists are strongly positioned to address these complex issues to help optimize hydrometallurgical operations.

For more information, please contact us.

Gold ores: Improving the cyanidation of sulphide-bearing gold ores

The processing of sulphide-bearing gold ores is common in Canada. The presence of metal sulphide makes cyanidation more complex to optimize, as evidenced both by gold leaching efficiency and reagent consumption. Lead nitrate and oxygen are often found to be useful additives to improve the cyanidation of sulphide-bearing gold ores. Typically, these reagents improve gold leaching kinetics and overall gold extraction, as well as reduce cyanide consumption. However, the addition strategy for using them is critical and only partially understood. A consortium, initiated in 1994, addressed the following issues related to cyanidation: optimization of cyanidation practices, focusing on reagent consumption and gold recovery; understanding of the role of lead nitrate addition, oxygen and the related synergies;

Results of the work are now being transferred to individual industrial plants with positive results. If you are a gold producer and are interested in how these CANMET-MMSL technologies can help your operation optimize performance, please contact us.

High temperature processing

This group is specialized in material fablications/characterizations, product/process developments and product applications in such areas as industrial waste by-products, engineering ceramics and refractory materials. It manages projects from conceptual development to industrial implementation. The major R&D; work in the last five years includes:

• The solid waste vitrification process (US Patent)
• Forsteritic olivine from asbestos mine tailings (US Patent)
• The cold bonded iron ore pellets and DRI (US Patent)
• Canadian Space Agency: crystal growth under micro-gravity
• The Canadian Utilities Consortium: coal gasification process