Development of Zn, Co, Ni, As, Sb and Free Cyanide Speciation Protocol Using Capillary Electrophoresis For Cyanidation Processes

The recovery of gold from its ores normally involves a leaching process with cyanide, resulting in the formation of gold cyanide along with a range of other metallocyanides from the crude ore. Therefore, monitoring of the different cyanide species at various stages of the process and in waste solutions is crucial for providing the optimal conditions for the leaching procedure and for environmental protection. AEM wishes to extend the recently developed protocol (or develop new one(s)) in order to analyze the speciation of Zn, Ni, Co, As and Sb complexes in the cyanidation process water. In addition, the identification and quantification of free cyanide ion (CN) in complex cyanidation process water solutions will be the goal of this project. For this reason, Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) is used as an analytical method for the separation of metallo-cyanides specious.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Faical Larachi

Student:

Elahe Ghasemian-Langeroudi

Partner:

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

Université Laval