LIXIVIATION OF SILVER AT HIGH TEMPERATURES IN COMPLEX MINERAL

Abstract

The research study was conducted on a sample of pyrite-silver tailings provided by the Administrative Company Cerro S.A.C. located in the Simón Bolívar district, province and region of Pasco. The importance of research contributions for its best treatment of this material is due to the fact that it has a stock of one million tons with an average grade of 5,14 ozAg / t and another two million with a grade between 5 to 6 ozAg / t. The latter have not had any previous treatment, therefore, it is expected to determine the appropriate method to optimize the recovery of silver in this pyrite-silver complex mineral. The recovery of silver in this complex mineral by the flotation method reached 20 %, leading to define it as a refractory mineral to this process, therefore, it is a matter of investigation other processes such as leaching. From the evaluation of the results of the leaching tests, making use of the matrix of a hexagonal experimental design, where results are extrapolated to determine the optimum, it is determined that a silver recovery of 50,06 % can be achieved (dependent variable) with a NaCN consumption of 4,8 kg / t (independent variable) at a temperature of 40 º C (independent variable). The treatment of this mineral is refractory to flotation, through leaching it is recovered not at levels of non-complex minerals, however, the procedures with high temperatures require more evaluations at the laboratory level and at the pilot level.