Geothermal heat improves mining process

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Geotherm. Hot Line; (United States)

OSTI ID:6951509

Extensive laboratory tests by University of Nevada, Las Vegas, scientists prove that geothermal heat can be used to enhance the recovery of gold and silver by the cyanide leaching process. Lab tests conducted at the Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno, demonstrated increased recovery of gold at 20% and silver at 40%. Trexler and his coworkers have been exploring whether heating gold and silver leaching solutions with geothermal energy can speed up and increase recoveries of gold and silver, and allow heap-leach projects to operate even in freezing weather. In his report, Trexler identified 10 operating mines near existing geothermal sites in Nevada which, as such, are likely candidates for geothermal enhancement of leaching operations. These mines are listed. Pegasus Gold Corporation plans to participate in a full-scale test of geothermal heat augmentation of cyanide heap leaching.

• OSTI ID: 6951509
• Journal Information: Geotherm. Hot Line; (United States), Vol. 17:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GOLD ORES
LEACHING
MINERAL INDUSTRY
GEOTHERMAL PROCESS HEAT
SILVER ORES
CYANIDES
MATERIALS RECOVERY
NEVADA
OPTIMIZATION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY
FEDERAL REGION IX
HEAT
INDUSTRY
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
USA
VARIATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
151000* - Geothermal Energy- Direct Energy Utilization