Effects of Flux Materials on the Fire Assay of Oxide Gold Ores
Fire assay is the most accurate and widely used method for the determination of gold, silver and the PGM contents of ores and other solid materials. The technique has three steps; first step is the smelting of charge mixtures which consist of ground ore samples, acidic and basic fluxes, lead oxide and a carbon source. Isolation of precious metals which are collected in metallic lead phase as a result of the reduction of PbO is the second step and it is called cupellation. Obtained precious metals are analyzed by using wet analysis methods such as AAS (Atomic absorption spectrometry) and ICP (Inductively coupled plasma spectrometry) at the last stage. The aim of this study is the investigation of the effects of the acidic flux materials for the fire assay of oxide gold ores. Acidic fluxes, sodium borax decahydrate (Borax, Na2B4O7·10H2O) and quartz (SiO2), were individually and together added to the charge mixtures which contain oxide gold ore samples, sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and lead oxide with flour as a carbon source. Acidic flux additions were performed in different amounts. Smelting stage of the experiments was conducted at 1100 °C in fire clay crucibles for a reaction time of 60 minutes by using a chamber furnace. After the cupellation step in the chamber furnace, gold containing beads were obtained. The beads were digested in nitric acid (HNO3) and aqua regia respectively to analyze the gold contents by using AAS and ICP.
Fire Assay Cupellation Flux Material Oxide Gold Ore
Haluk Ozden Basaran Ahmet Turan Onuralp Yucel
Istanbul Technical University Chemical Metallurgical Faculty, Department of Metallurgical and Mater Istanbul Technical University Chemical Metallurgical Faculty, Department of Metallurgical and Mater
国际会议
Ninth International Conference on Molten Slags,Fluxes and Salts(第九届国际熔渣、溶剂与熔盐学术会议 MOLTEN12)
北京
英文
1-10
2012-05-27(万方平台首次上网日期,不代表论文的发表时间)