Carboninpulp

Carboninpulp (CIP) is a widely used hydrometallurgical process for extracting precious metals, primarily gold and silver, from ore. This method involves the simultaneous leaching of metals and their adsorption onto activated carbon within a series of interconnected tanks or reactors. The process is favored for its efficiency and ability to recover metals from low-grade ores.

The CIP process begins with crushing and grinding the ore to liberate mineral particles. The finely ground ore is then mixed with a cyanide solution, allowing gold and silver to dissolve into the liquid phase. The pregnant leach solution is subsequently transferred to adsorption tanks containing activated carbon, which captures the dissolved metals. The concentration of the metals on the carbon is then increased through multiple adsorption stages.

After adsorption, the carbon is separated from the slurry and undergoes elution, a process that involves washing the gold or silver from the carbon using hot water and chemical solutions. The recovered metals are then refined through electrowinning or smelting techniques. The depleted carbon is regenerated and reintroduced into the adsorption circuit, maintaining the efficiency of the process.

Advantages of CIP include high recovery rates, reduced processing time, and the ability to handle low-grade ores economically. However, the process requires careful management of cyanide solutions to mitigate environmental and safety concerns. Overall, CIP remains a prominent method in the mining industry for gold extraction due to its effectiveness and adaptability.