Total carbonaceous material characterization (tcm) methodologies

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a process that includes receiving a refractory precious metal-containing material comprising a preg-robbing material, determining a preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent, and a preg-robbing capacity after pressure oxidation and/or a preg-robbing capacity in the presence of a blanking agent, and, based on the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent and the preg-robbing capacity after pressure oxidation and the preg-robbing capacity in the presence of a blanking agent, directing the refractory precious metal-containing material to a selected one of a plurality of unit processing operations for recovery of the precious metal in the refractory precious metal-containing material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process comprising:
 receiving a refractory precious metal-containing material comprising a preg-robbing material;   determining a preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent, and one or more of: a preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and a preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent; and   based on the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent and the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent, directing the refractory precious metal-containing material to a selected one of a plurality of unit processing operations for recovery of the precious metal in the refractory precious metal-containing material.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining an untreated preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material;   comparing the untreated preg-robbing capacity to a selected threshold to determine whether the refractory precious metal-containing material is refractory; and   when the refractory precious metal-containing material is refractory, determining one of the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent, the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent.   
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and wherein the selected one of the plurality of unit processing operations comprises an autoclave. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein the selected one of the plurality of unit processing operations comprises an oxide milling circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein, when the preg-robbing strength is no more than a selected threshold, recovering the precious metal by a cyanide leach in the substantial absence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein, when the preg-robbing strength is more than the selected threshold and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is no more than a second selected threshold, recovering the precious metal by a cyanide leach in the presence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the precious metal comprises gold and wherein the sorbent is one or more of activated carbon and a gold selective ion exchange resin. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the preg-robbing strength is in more than the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein the blanking agent comprising one or more of a methylphenol, a phenolate salt thereof, a hydrocarbon, a natural oil, a cationic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, para-nitrobenzolazo salicyclic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein, during cyanide leaching, a slurry comprises the precious metal-containing material, a cyanide-containing leach solution, and blanking agent, wherein a concentration of the precious metal-containing material in the slurry ranges from about 15 to about 50% solids, and wherein the cyanide leaching comprises adsorbing the precious metal onto activated carbon in one or more of a carbon-in-leach (CIL), carbon-in-column (CIC), carbon-in-pulp (CIP), resin-in-leach (RIL), resin-in-column (RIC), and resin-in-pulp (RIP) process. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the preg-robbing capacity of the preg-robbing material in the presence of the blanking agent is no more than about 75% of the preg-robbing strength and wherein the blanking agent has a concentration in the leaching ranging from about 0.1 to about 25 g/L. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the precious metal in the precious metal-containing material comprises gold and wherein the preg-robbing strength is in less than the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the preg-robbing material comprises preg-robbing carbon and wherein the weight ratio of blanking agent to the preg-robbing material ranges from about 0.001:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         13 . A process comprising:
 receiving a refractory precious metal-containing material comprising preg-robbing carbon;   determining a preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing carbon relative to one of activated carbon and a precious metal-selective ion exchange resin and one or more of: a preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and a preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent; and   based on the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing carbon relative to the one of activated carbon and a precious metal-selective ion exchange resin and the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent, directing the refractory precious metal-containing material to a selected one of a plurality of unit processing operations for recovery of the precious metal in the refractory precious metal-containing material.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining an untreated preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material;   comparing the untreated preg-robbing capacity to a selected threshold to determine whether the refractory precious metal-containing material is refractory; and   when the refractory precious metal-containing material is refractory, determining one of the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing material relative to a sorbent, the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and wherein the selected one of the plurality of unit processing operations comprises an autoclave. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein the selected one of the plurality of unit processing operations comprises an oxide milling circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein, when the preg-robbing strength is no more than a selected threshold, recovering the precious metal by a cyanide leach in the substantial absence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more of the preg-robbing capacity before or after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein, when the preg-robbing strength is more than the selected threshold and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent is no more than a second selected threshold, recovering the precious metal by a cyanide leach in the presence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the precious metal comprises gold and wherein the sorbent is one or more of activated carbon and a gold selective ion exchange resin. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the preg-robbing strength is more than the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent and wherein the blanking agent comprising one or more of a methylphenol, a phenolate salt thereof, a hydrocarbon, a natural oil, a cationic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, para-nitrobenzolazo salicyclic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein, during cyanide leaching, a slurry comprises the precious metal-containing material, a cyanide-containing leach solution, and blanking agent, wherein a concentration of the precious metal-containing material in the slurry ranges from about 15 to about 50% solids, and wherein the cyanide leaching comprises adsorbing the precious metal onto activated carbon in one or more of a carbon-in-leach (CIL), carbon-in-column (CIC), carbon-in-pulp (CIP), resin-in-leach (RIL), resin-in-column (RIC), and resin-in-pulp (RIP) process. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the preg-robbing capacity of the preg-robbing material in the presence of the blanking agent is no more than about 75% of the preg-robbing strength and wherein the blanking agent has a concentration in the leaching ranging from about 0.1 to about 25 g/L. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the precious metal in the precious metal-containing material comprises gold and wherein the preg-robbing strength is in less than the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the preg-robbing material comprises preg-robbing carbon and wherein the weight ratio of blanking agent to the preg-robbing material ranges from about 0.001:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         25 . A process comprising:
 receiving a refractory precious metal-containing material comprising preg-robbing carbon;   determining a preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing carbon relative to one of activated carbon and a precious metal-selective ion exchange resin and a preg-robbing capacity after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and a preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent; and   based on the preg-robbing strength of the preg-robbing an carbon relative to the one of activated carbon and a precious metal-selective ion exchange resin and the preg-robbing capacity after pressure oxidation of the precious metal-containing material and the preg-robbing capacity of the refractory precious metal-containing material in the presence of a blanking agent, directing the refractory precious metal-containing material to a selected one of a plurality of unit processing operations for recovery of the precious metal in the refractory precious metal-containing material.