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2020 Vol.29, Issue 2

Article Review

Current Status of Gold Leaching Technologies from Low Grade Ores or Tailings

저품위 광석 또는 광미내 금 침출기술 현황

Sang-hun Lee1*
이 상훈1*
1Dept. of Environmental Science, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Daegu, Korea
1계명대학교 환경학부 환경과학전공
*Corresponding Author
30 April 2020. pp. 3-7
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Abstract

Recently, the gold leaching technologies draw much interest to recover gold from low grade ores. Current leaching processes mostly use cyanide as the leaching agent, due to its high leaching efficiencies and cost-effectiveness. However, use of cyanide is severely problematic, because of toxicity and thereby environmental risks, and requires strict regulations and environmental management. Especially, this issue becomes further apparent when cyanide should be applied for dump or heap leaching for low cost gold recovery along with recent trends. To resolve this issue, the alternative leaching processes using thiosulfate or halogen compounds, instead of cyanide, have been studied and developed but there have been lots of difficulties toward commercialization, and therefore further research should be conducted. The commercialization of dump or heap bioleaching technologies should be urgently required for effective direct biogenic gold recovery from low grade ores or tailings without use of cyanide.

Keywords
ore
tailings
gold
leaching
alternative leaching agents

최근 저품위 (폐)광석으로부터의 금 회수를 위한 침출기술이 각광을 받고 있다. 현재 침출기술은 경제성과 효율성 측면에서 시안을 이용하는 것이 효과적이나 시안은 독극물의 일종으로 환경오염의 우려가 있어 규제 및 관리가 요구된다. 특히 이러한 문제는 최근 주목받고 있는 저비용 침출기술인 Dump 혹은 Heap leaching 적용시 더욱 현저하다. 이를 해결하기 위해 티오황산염(thiosulfate) 이나 할로겐화합물 등 시안을 대체할 대안침출제의 개발이 활발하게 진행되고 있으나 이들은 아직 상용화에 이르기까지 여러 어려움이 있으며 추가적인 연구개발이 필요하다. 저비용 친환경적인 생물학적 금침출도 상용화되고 있으나 이는 대부분 직접 금 침출이 아닌 시안침출의 전처리 산화공정(pre-oxidation process)으로 적용되고 있다. 그러나 생물학적 침출을 통한 직접 금 회수도 이론적으로 가능하며 향후 Dump나 heap bioleaching을 통한 직접 금 침출로 시안이 필요없는 저품위 금 회수 상용화가 시급하다고 판단된다.

키워드
광석
광미
금
침출
대안침출제
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Institute of Resources Recycling
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원리싸이클링학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling
  • Journal Title(Ko) :자원리싸이클링
  • Volume : 29
  • No :2
  • Pages :3-7
  • Received Date : 2019-10-17
  • Revised Date : 2020-03-19
  • Accepted Date : 2020-03-27
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7844/kirr.2020.29.2.3
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