Gold Cyanidation and Characterization of Itagunmodi Gold Deposit using Cyanide from Cassava
1 Department of Material Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria
* Corresponding author: suppiedee@yahoo.com
* Corresponding author: suppiedee@yahoo.com
Abstract
This work has investigated gold cyanidation and characterization of Itagunmodi gold deposit using cyanide from cassava. The gold ore was subjected to selective removal of associated minerals, treated to varied concentrations of cyanide extracted from cassava and precipitation of the gold. The precipitated gold was characterized using optical microscope, SEM - EDX, EDXRF and XRFS. The result showed that after 24 hours of cyanidation using analar grade sodium cyanide of 60 mg/l, 10 g Itagunmodi gold ore concentrate yielded 0.096 g (96 mg) gold. Also, under the same condition, using cassava-based cyanide concentration of 60 mg/l, 10 g Itagunmodi gold ore concentrate yielded 0.08 g (80 mg) gold. This work has shown that sourcing cyanide from cassava waste for gold leaching is the appropriate alternative to the conventional cyanidation.
Keywords
gold cyanidation
Itagunmodi
cassava-based cyanide
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How to Cite
D., O. O., R., A. A., & O., A. M. (2016). Gold Cyanidation and Characterization of Itagunmodi Gold Deposit using Cyanide from Cassava. Nigerian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, 7(2), 56-60.
O. O. D., A. A. R., and A. M. O., "Gold Cyanidation and Characterization of Itagunmodi Gold Deposit using Cyanide from Cassava," Nigerian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 56-60, December 2016.