Gold Refining and Smelting Sulfides: Experiments and Results

✨Hydrogen peroxide can be used as an oxidizer to release gold from sulfides.

❌The use of hydrogen peroxide for sulfide oxidation is not economically viable due to the large amount required.

🔥Creating a glassy, acidic slag can prevent the formation of matte and facilitate the recovery of precious metals.

🧪Adding iron to the smelting process can replace copper and lead sulfides and improve the recovery of precious metals.

🌋Controlling the composition of the slag is crucial to optimize the recovery of precious metals during smelting.

Can hydrogen peroxide be used effectively to extract gold from sulfides?

—While hydrogen peroxide can oxidize sulfides and release gold, the large amount required makes it economically impractical.

What is matte in the context of smelting?

—Matte is a layer that forms during the smelting process and contains base metal sulfides. It can hinder the recovery of precious metals.

How can the formation of matte be prevented?

—By creating a glassy, acidic slag and adding iron to replace copper and lead sulfides, the formation of matte can be minimized.

Why is controlling the composition of the slag important in smelting?

—The composition of the slag affects the absorption of base metal sulfides, which can impact the recovery of precious metals.

Is this method of sulfide oxidation and smelting cost-effective?

—No, the use of hydrogen peroxide in large quantities makes this method economically unfeasible.

00:00Introduction and purpose of the experiments: refining gold and smelting sulfides.

02:29Crushing and grinding the sulfides to increase the surface area for oxidation.

03:50Oxidizing the sulfides using hydrogen peroxide and observing the reactions.

08:31Panning out gold from the oxidized sulfides and comparing with untreated sulfides.

10:21Weighing and smelting the treated and untreated sulfides to assess the impact on gold recovery.

16:09Explaining matte in smelting and analyzing the absence of a metallic bead in the smelted samples.

19:32Discussing the importance of slag composition and alternative methods to optimize precious metal recovery.

20:27Final thoughts on the experiments and the limitations of using hydrogen peroxide for sulfide oxidation.