Abstract

A sulphide flotation concentrate containing 15.2 g/t gold and 893 g/t silver finely disseminated in pyrite (4.1 % sulphidic sulphur in the concentrate) was treated by a two-stage process to recover these precious metals. Initially the concentrate was subjected to microbial oxidation by means of different acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms (bacteria at 37 ^oC and archaea at 59 and 86 ^oC) to expose the precious metals encapsulated in the pyrite. The precious metals liberated in this way were then subjected to leaching by means of solutions containing different reagents (protein hydrolysate, thiosulphate, cyanide and some chemical oxidizers). The leaching was carried out in agitated reactors and up to 93.6 % of the gold and 80.8 % of the silver were solubilised in this way for 48 hours from a pulp density of 20 % at 57 ^oC.