PROCEDE DE RECUPERATION DE PARTICULES D'OR

PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR RECOVERING GOLD PARTICLES

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT
Process and device for recovering gold particles
found in grounded ore or substrates rich in gold,
said process comprising the steps of: a)-
attaching, by electrodeposition, a mercury layer (A)
over a silver layer (P), which is attached to a
metallic surface (B1); b)- attaching to said mercury
layer (A), by molecular attraction, an overlaying
mercury film (Hg); c)- submitting the gold particles
present in grounded ore to repeated and systematic
contact with the overlaying mercury film (Hg), in
such a way that the gold particles contacting said
overlaying mercury film form a gold/mercury amalgam
which adheres to the mercury layer (A); d)-
interrupting said repeated and systematic contact and
removing the gold/mercury amalgam layer from said
mercury layer (A) and provide another overlaying
mercury film (Hg); and e)- repeating steps "c" and
"d" until a desired recovering degrees of gold
particles from the substrate is achieved.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Process for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining substrates rich in gold,
characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
a)- incorporating to a metallic surface (B1) of a
gold particle retaining means a silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A), which is firmly adhered (fixed) to
said metallic surface (B1) and an overlaying mercury
film (Hg) that is adhered, by molecular attraction,
to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A);
b)- submitting the gold particles containing in the
substrate to a physical contact with said overlaying
mercury film (Hg) in order to amalgamate at least
part of the mercury film (Hg) in a gold amalgam layer
which is adhered to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam
layer (A):
c)- interrupting the contact of said gold particle
retaining means with the substrate rich in gold;
d)- submitting the gold amalgam layer to a physical
action sufficient to liberate it from the attraction
exerted by the fixed silver-mercury amalgam layer (A)
in order to separate the amalgamated gold/mercury
particles of said gold amalgam layer from the
retaining means:
e)- applying another mercury film (Hg) over the fixed
silver-mercury amalgam layer (A); and
f)- repeating steps "a" to "e" until a desired
recovering degree of gold particles from the
substrate is achieved.
2. Process for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining residual substrates also
containing free mercury, characterized in that it
comprises the steps of:
a)- incorporating to a metallic surface (B1) of a
gold particle retaining means a silver/mercury


amalgam layer (A) which is firmly adhered (fixed) to
said metallic surface (B1) and an overlaying mercury
film (Hg) that is adhered, by molecular attraction,
to the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A);
b)- submitting the gold particles and the free
mercury contained in the mining residual substrates
to a physical contact with said overlaying mercury
film (Hg), in order to amalgamate at least part of
the overlaying mercury film (Hg) in a gold amalgam
layer and to adhere, by molecular attraction, to the
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), the gold
amalgam layer and the free mercury contained in the
mining residual substrate;
c)- interrupting the contact of said gold particle
retaining means with the mining residual substrate;
d)- submitting the gold amalgam and the adhered free
mercury layers to a physical action sufficient to
liberate them from the attraction exerted by the
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), in order to
separate said gold amalgam and said adhered free
mercury layers from the fixed silver/mercury amalgam
layer (A) of the gold retaining means;
e)- applying and retaining , by molecular attraction,
another mercury film (Hg) over the fixed
silver/mercury amalgam layer (A); and
f)- repeating steps "a" to "e" for successive charges
of residual substrates.
3. Process, according to either claims 1 or 2,
characterized in that the incorporation of said
silver/mercury amalgam layer (A) and of said
overlaying mercury film to the metallic surface (B1)
of the gold particle retaining means includes the
followiing steps:
i)- electrodepositing over said metallic surface (B1)
a silver layer (P) and, over the latter, a mercury
layer in order to form a silver/mercury amalgam layer


(A);
ii)- incorporating, by pouring or spraying, an
overlaying mercury film over said silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A).
4. Process according to claim 3, characterized in
that the silver layer (P) is electrodeposited over a
copper layer or copper plate (C).
5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in
that said gold particle retaining means includes a
structural body (B) supporting said copper layer or
plate.
6. Process, according to claim 5, characterized in
that said structural body (B) is a low carbon steel
plate, over which the copper layer or plate (C) is
attached.
7. Process, according to either claims 1 or 2,
characterized in that the gold amalgam layer and the
adhered free mercury amalgam layer are mechanically
removable from the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer
(A) of said gold particle retaining means.
8. Process, according to claim 7, characterized in
that the removing of the gold amalgam layer and of
the adhered free mercury layer is obtained by
scrapping the fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A).
9. Device for recovering gold particles found in
grounded ore or mining substrates rich in gold, with
or without free mercury residues, characterized in
that it comprises a gold particle retaining means,
presenting at least a metallic surface portion
carrying and incorporating, by electrodeposition, a
fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A), over which is
adhered, by molecular attraction, an overlaying film
of mercury (Hg), which is selectively detachable from
said fixed silver/mercury amalgam layer (A) by a
physical action, said overlaying film of mercury (Hg)
being disposed in a way to contact with the gold



particles and free mercury which are present in ore
substrates.
10. Device, according to claim 9, characterized in
that said metallic surface portion includes a silver
layer (P) that carries and retains the silver/mercury
amalgam layer (A).
11. Device, according to claim 10, characterized in
that said silver layer (P) is obtained by
electrodeposition over a copper layer or plate (C).
12. Device, according to claim 11. characterized in
that the copper layer or plate (C) is affixed to a
structural body (B).
13. Device, according to claim 12. characterized in
that said structural body (B) is a steel plate.

Description

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PROCESS AN~ DEVIC~ FO~ R~OVERING GOLD PA~TICI ES
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Thlo invention rel~to~ to a proce~e and dovic ~ that
en~ble~ r~t~ntlon ~nd rocovory of ~old pArtic lles of
normallY ~o~nd in Broundod gOla ~l~ninB
oro and oubotrateo, in order to oubstltut e th-
t~aditional mereury ~m~l~amatlon prooos~ snd
~ubotantlally elimlnatin~ tho moroury reolduoo
Tho ~rooooo obJec~ of the ~reoon~ ~nvont~ on i4
~hrticularlY indiGatod for the ro~roc~sln~ o~ q~i~k
ollvor oont~mlnated roJ1du~o o~ prlor prooeoe es, $n
ordor to ~taln not only all tho r~m~lnin~ ~ol d but~
additlonally, the rooldual ~eroury~
~ ho known ~roo~os ~ur tro4tin~ ~ub~ tr~oo
oontainin~ ~old do not load to an o~loi~nt re ~ovory
of tho ~old ~artlolo~ and freo morcury norm~ll y u~od
1~ ohld trcatin~ proooo808, al~ owln~ ~bot ~nti~l
loooo~ o~ ~old and moroury d~lvory in ~ho r~ sldu~l
oubot~to.
ZO It la ~n ob~oct of tho ~rooont ln~ontlon to pro ~ldo
~rooo~o $or rooo~orln~ ~old ~rtloloo ~rom er ~und~d
ore or ~inlng e~ubotr~to~ whloh maxim~ tho
rot4ntlon o~ ~old, avoldin~ ito looo ln the ro ~ldual
o~botr~to.
Z~ It 1~ another ob~oct o$ tho pr~sont invonti ~n to
~rovldo a ~roo~oo ~B mon~ionod ~bovo and whioh
ogtl~izo~ the u~ of moroury in ord0r to o~l, nln~tc
~t8 ~rooonoo ln tho rooldua~ ~ubs~r~to an I ito
p~llutln8 toxio of~ooto.
~t 18 otlll anothor o~oot o~ the prosont inv~ ~ntlon
to ~rovldo ~ ~evlco for reoovoring ~o~d from ~r~ ~u~dod
or mlnin~ sub~tr~too wh~Loh allow~ to a~hlov~ ~ tho
adv~nt~Beouo r~ulte montlonod abovo ln relat: Lon to
tho prooo~o.
36 ~o~rd~n~ tho procoJ~, the ob~ects o~ the ~nv~ ~ntlon
~ro ~oco~pll~hed by osrrylna out tho ~te~e -o: 1~
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lncorporatln~ to a mo~lllc eurf~oo of ~ ~ eold
partlclo rota~nin~ mo~ns a ~llv~r~meroury e m~
laYer~ whlch io f~rmly ~dhorod ~$1xod) tc ~ o~ld
motulllc su~fuc~ and ~n o~rlsyin~ m~rcur~ fil~
that ic ~dhered, b~ moteoul~r ~ttraotio~, o the
flxed silvor~m~roury Amsl~m layer;
b)- ~ubmitting the aold E~rtlcle~ oontainod ~ n tho
~ubetr~t~ to a ~hy lcal cont~ct wlth ~id ovo~ layin~
~eroury fllm tn order ~o umal~ to ~t le~t E art of
1~ the morourY film ln a 401d ~msl~am layor whi ch i~
~dherod to the ~lx~d oilvor~m~rcurY ~m~l~m laye r;
c)~ int~rru~ln~ tho cont~ot of o~id ~old p~ rtlclo
retalnln~ ~o~no w~th the oubotrate rlch in ~old;
d)- ~ubDlttln~ tho ~old ~m~l~am layor to ~ ~h yoioal
lS aot~o~ eu~loiont to liborato ~t ~rom tho attr ~otlon
oxerted by the ~ixod ~ilvor~morcurY a~l~um 1E yor ln
order to ~eparatc the ~m~l~m~ted ~oldh eroury
~rtloloo of said gold ~mal~am layo~ ~rc ~ tho
j r~taln~n~ ~o~ne;
~)- a~plylng anothor ~erourY film ovor the ~ixod
ollver~morcury um~l8a~ laYor; and
) - roF~tin~ at~po "a" ~o "e" untll a d ~oir~d
r~covorln~ do~ro~ o~ ~old p~rtiol~a ~ro~ tho
eubstr~c 1~ aohlwed~ i
Z5 Tho procooo ~ dieoloood abov~ o~n ~o uae i ~or
roooverln~ ~old ~artloloe ~ro~ ~lnin~ ~ubatr~ ~e not
yct submlttod to th~ ~otion of the m~roury no ~n~lly
~pplled ~o ~old rot~lnin~ nt. In thls o~o ~, tho
m~rcury ~r~nted ln the ~lnln~ cubo~rato~ r~ ~m~in~
~lrmly assre~at~d to tho ~o~d re~alnln~ mean~, whilo
reaotlnB with the ~old ~ticleo oontainod ~n e~ld
~u~trateo ~hich remaln~ wlthout any ~oun~ o E froo
mcrcury, ~v~n in lt~ roeidual port~on d~llvorl ~d to
th- environm~nt.
36 In th~ cacc8 whero ~h~ mlnln~ Proc~eo u~o~ ~n i~ ~itl~l ;
charse of fro~ morourY ~ixod to the subotr~t~ ~o in




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~mount~i oxoo-din~ th~e~ normally n-ooicaary fDr
tran~formln~ almo~t all tho ~old in am~l~Am , tho
preeient Procoo~ ~llow that the ~old and the ~r--
m~ro~ry etill containod ~n th~ r~iJldual ~ nininB
~ 5 ~b~trato bc oub~ected to a p~y~io~l contact wl ~h tho
ov~rl~y~n~ mercury l~yor ~dh~r~d to the 801d
retainin~ means, formln~ l~y~rc o~ 401d ~mAl~l ~m ~nd
mercury ro~peotlvoly, which are molocularly ~ ~herod
to the ~lxod ~llvor/mercury ~ am layor of thl ~ Sold
rotalnin~ m~ne. In thio CA~O, the ro ~ldual
i~ub~trato8 do not d~l~v~r any r~lev~nt ~ou nt of
mercury Qnd ~old partlcl~o to the onvironmont.
~he in~ontlon wlll be now doooribod wlth rof-r- nce to
the attached drawin~, ~hloh ~ln~l~ fi~ur~ r~prl ~ent~
~ cro~o-o~ctional view o~ a Poeelble ombod~o~ ~ for
the gold retainin~ moano.
Aocordln~ to ~he dr~wln~, th~ ~old r~tainln~ mo~na
oomprl~eo a metalllo b~e~ plate B, pre~er~ble o E mlld
~low oarbon) ~teel~ ~lth one ~aoe Bl bein~ o~e~ ~i~lly
~r~tod to retaln, by moleoular ~ttr~otion, ml ~roury
~nd ~old. An oPp w lte ~aoe BZ o~ ~he motall~ ~ b~o
pl~te B le normallY untreatod,
~ho pre~erred treatment sona~ato ln ~nco~por~ti: ~, by
electrodo~o~lt~on (olootroplatln~)~ a ~ir~t 1~ ler o~
oopper C. A1W~Y~ by ~lootrodepo~ltlon, ~ ~ooond
layer P, now o~ B~ lv~r, 1~ depoeited over ~ho ~opp~r
l~yor C; ~nd ~inallY~ ~ th~rd l~y~r o~ merour ~ A lo
do~o~ltod and am~l~am~te~ w~th th~ eilvor o ~ lto
: ~ur~oe~ .
The ~ilv~r~morourY layer A ~Or~ hn lnt~r*~oe b ~tweon
the ~irmly ~dherod eilver layer P and ~n o~r la~in~
~r~e m~roury ~ilm ~g lnoor~or~ted to ~ald lnt 3r~aoe
: b~ ol~ctrod-poeitlon,
Tho ~v~rl~yine mercury ~ilm HB ha~ ~ very hi~h
~6 ~tlr~c~ ~bne~n ~.r,tl L nu~ r~ll L~ l,he~
oilver~ercury un~le~ ye~, oven when eubmltted to the




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attrltlon of hi~h oreJ reslduc flow rRtes.
A~ doscribod above, the gold p~rtlcle~ (an ~loo
m~roury rc~idueo), when ~aking con~not wi h tho
o~rl~yin~ mcrcury film~ ~tt~ch themoolves o tho
latter. partiallY 4m~1e~mht~n~ in the oont~ct z ne.
Theroforo, to ~ot maxlmum recoverY, ~t i8 ne asoary
to pr4moto m~xlmu~ cont~ot.
Sever~l w~y~ can bo devl~od to ~romote th~ c nt~ot.
The pre~orred moda~ usin~ onJ.y gr~vlty, 1~ to I rovido
a t~ln and unlform flow of wat~r ~nd flnoly ~round
ore (or roslduo~ rich in ~old) ov~r th~ re ~nt~on
: our~ace.
To re~ovar tha tr~ad, oo~l-~mal~matod ~old~
olllt~blo m~oh~nioal ~e~na ~y b~ uood to ~ontly
~or~a t~e rotontlon our~ca, ro~ovln~ tho ~C ld ~nd
the ~Xceo- m~roury.
A~ alroady dc~orlbod, 4$ter tho olo~nin~oc r~pln~
oper~tlon, ~ no~ ~llm o~ ovorl~yln~ m~roury n u~t be
formod. Thie i~ eaolly dono by opr~ylng ~rec n ~roury
ovor tho ~le~nod ~url7ao~, ~nd th~ o prOOesD ~n ~o
~t~r~od ~
Th~ ~lmpleet dovioe ualn~ thl~ Prooos~ oon~iot ln a
lon~7 ~ontlY lnollnod du~t~ w~th ~ f~at botto~
doflnin~ sald r~7tontio~ ~ur~ao~ er whloh ~lc ~8 tho
~5 w~t~rJor~/r~aidu~ ~ixtur~. Th~ ~lat ~ttom ~ t~ins
tho meroury ln ou~pr7noion in th~ roeldual fl ~w ~nd
ale4 the ~old ~rtiol8s whloh ml~ht not bo ro sinod
; by tho ~orc~rY~



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