Study of the material composition of refractory gold-bearing ore from the Aktobe deposit

Abstract

The study of the material composition of gold-bearing ores includes the determination of quantitative chemical and mineral composition, forms of noble metals, granulometric composition, and physical and mechanical properties to choose the direction for the development of an effective technology of their complex enrichment. This work is devoted to the study of the material composition of refractory gold-bearing ore of Aktobe deposit. It was determined that the content of gold is 1.55-1.6 g/t, the mass fraction of silver is 42-43 g/t, and the content of sulphur is low and is 1-1.1% respectively. Of non-ferrous metals, zinc 0.17%, and lead 0.15% are present in insignificant amounts, and the content of harmful impurities antimony and arsenic are insignificant and amounted to 0.01 and 0.05%. The ore sample has a relatively uncomplicated mineral composition: rock-forming minerals represented by quartz, potassium feldspar, calcite, and mica predominate significantly. Ore minerals are represented by pyrite up to 10 %, limonite up to 0.5 %, galena 0.15-0.2 %, sphalerite 0.17-0.2 % and gold. Physical and mechanical properties of the ore were determined. According to the category of crushability, the ore belongs to the category of medium hardness. According to Bond's method, the "index of network Wi" of ball milling was determined for the initial ore, which was 19.3 kW∙h/t∙μm0.5. Based on the obtained data on the study of material composition, further research will be directed to the study of gravity and flotation enrichment.