Five Common Gold Flotation Methods and Processing Flows
Gold ore refers to mineral aggregates that contain sufficient amounts of gold for industrial extraction.
A gold mine is a deposit of such ores formed through geological mineralization and mined for economic use.
A gold mine is a deposit of gold-bearing ores that have been formed through geological processes. These deposits are mined for economic purposes.
Among the various beneficiation techniques, flotation plays a crucial role, especially for sulfide‑type and vein‑type gold ores.
Below are five common flotation process combinations widely applied in industrial production.
1 . Flotation + Cyanide Leaching of Flotation Concentrate
This is the most commonly used method for treating gold‑bearing quartz veins and gold‑bearing iron ores.
Collectors: Xanthates
Frother: Terpineol oil
Slurry condition: Slightly alkaline
After flotation, the gold‑bearing concentrate is subjected to cyanide leaching, dissolving gold into the solution.
Gold is then recovered from the cyanide solution by zinc powder replacement, producing gold mud, which is finally smelted to obtain pure gold.
2 . Flotation + Thiourea Leaching of Concentrate
This method is used for refractory gold ores containing high arsenic, sulfur, carbonaceous matter, or clay impurities.
The flotation step enriches gold‑bearing sulfide minerals.
The sulfide concentrate is then leached with thiourea instead of cyanide.
Advantages:
Fast leaching rate
Lower toxicity
Simplified process and easy operation
High gold recovery even for arsenic‑ or carbon‑rich ores
Lower reagent consumption compared with cyanidation in complex ores
3 . Amalgamation + Flotation
Suitable for vein‑type gold ores with non‑uniform particle size.
In the grinding circuit, the amalgamation process (using mercury plates or traps) collects the coarse gold.
The remaining slurry then undergoes flotation to recover fine particle gold.
This combined process improves overall recovery efficiency for ores containing both coarse and fine gold.
4 . Carrier (Load) Series Flotation + Tailings Cyanidation
The loaded (carrier) flotation process uses a specific mineral (the "carrier") to enhance gold flotation efficiency.
Advantages:
Higher concentrate grade and recovery rate
Reduced use of collector reagents
Lower content of soluble secondary copper minerals
Improved cyanidation performance of flotation tailings
This method is particularly effective in complex polymetallic ores.
5 . Flotation + Concentrate Roasting + Residue Cyanidation
For flotation concentrates with high arsenic and sulfur, direct cyanidation is typically unsuitable.
Instead, the concentrate is first oxidatively roasted to remove arsenic and sulfur.
After roasting, the calcined product has a looser structure and improved permeability, making it more suitable for gold and silver leaching by cyanidation.
Each of these five flotation process combinations has specific applications based on ore type, mineral composition, gold particle size, and impurities.
Selecting the correct process can greatly improve gold recovery rate, reagent economy, and overall plant efficiency.
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