Development of a critical technology for extracting gold from landfills (strategic mineral raw materials)

One of the ways to solve the problems of rational and integrated use of mineral raw materials, including canned man-made facilities, is the development of critical technologies for their processing in order to extract strategic metals, which include gold. The object of research is a preserved gold-bearing mineral resource object (landfills) with a conservation period of 10 years. The purpose of the study is to identify the technological and environmental problems facing the Russian gold mining industry, hindering scientific and technological development and ensuring the independence and competitiveness of the state; to develop a critical technology for extracting gold from landfills (strategic mineral raw materials). Research objectives are as follows: to conduct a systematic analysis of the level of development of gold mining equipment and technology in Russia; to identify the technological and environmental problems facing the gold mining industry; to study the material composition of a preserved mineral resource facility (landfills); to develop a critical technology for extracting gold from landfills and conduct laboratory studies. Research methods are presented by the study of the material composition of the mineral raw materials samples, which has been carried out using modern tools: optical and electron microscopy, assay and atomic adsorption analysis methods. Based on a systematic analysis of the level of gold mining equipment and technology development in Russia, the main disadvantages of using non-stationary processing plants have been identified and technological and environmental problems arising during the operation of landfills for heap leaching of gold have been identified. The following flowcharts are presented: environmental assessment of the consequences of open-pit mining; the impact of methods, processes, elements, relationships, structures on environmental components during the processing of gold-containing mineral raw materials; the main components of the negative impact of gold-containing raw materials processing enterprises on the environment. A critical technology for deep processing of strategic mineral raw materials from landfills has been developed, and its technological scheme is given. Experimental studies have been conducted and the results are presented. This technology makes it possible to comprehensively use mineral raw materials, improve the environmental situation and increase the efficiency of gold extraction.