摘要
Electrochemical measurements were conducted to study the electrochemical behavior of gold (Au) and its commonly associated minerals in alkaline thiourea solutions. The results indicated that without addition of any stabilizer, selective dissolution of Au from stibnite and pyrite was only possible at relatively low thiourea concentrations. As Na2SiO3 was added, pyrite started to become active and an oxida- tion peak appeared; the oxidation peaks of axsenopyrite and chalcocite appeared earlier thaxl that of Au. The chalcocite peak shifted in the positive direction and the peak current increased. Stibnite did not show an oxidation peak and its current was nearly zero. Adding Na2SiO3 favored the selective dissolution of Au when its minerals were associated with chalcocite and stibinte. At pH 12, the Au anode dissolution peak current increased with stabilizer concentration. At 0.38 and 0.42 V and for Na2SiO3 concentration below 0.09 M, the current density continuously increased with Na2SiO3 concentration. The Na2SiO3 concentration had to be adequate to stabilize thiourea. When the potential was higher than 0.42 V, the surface of the Au electrode started to passivate. With an additional increase in potential, the presence of Na2SiO3 could not stop the inevitable decomposition of thiourea.
Electrochemical measurements were conducted to study the electrochemical behavior of gold (Au) and its commonly associated minerals in alkaline thiourea solutions. The results indicated that without addition of any stabilizer, selective dissolution of Au from stibnite and pyrite was only possible at relatively low thiourea concentrations. As Na2SiO3 was added, pyrite started to become active and an oxida- tion peak appeared; the oxidation peaks of axsenopyrite and chalcocite appeared earlier thaxl that of Au. The chalcocite peak shifted in the positive direction and the peak current increased. Stibnite did not show an oxidation peak and its current was nearly zero. Adding Na2SiO3 favored the selective dissolution of Au when its minerals were associated with chalcocite and stibinte. At pH 12, the Au anode dissolution peak current increased with stabilizer concentration. At 0.38 and 0.42 V and for Na2SiO3 concentration below 0.09 M, the current density continuously increased with Na2SiO3 concentration. The Na2SiO3 concentration had to be adequate to stabilize thiourea. When the potential was higher than 0.42 V, the surface of the Au electrode started to passivate. With an additional increase in potential, the presence of Na2SiO3 could not stop the inevitable decomposition of thiourea.
作者
he zhou
yong-sheng song
wen-juan li
kun song
He Zhou;Yong-sheng Song;Wen-juan Li;Kun Song(National Engineering Laboratory of Biohydrometallurgy,GRIMAT Engineering Institute Co.,Ltd,Beijing 101407,China;School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering,China University of Mining & Technology,Beijing 100083,China)
基金
financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51504031)
the innovation fund of the General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals(No.53319)