Thiocyanate solutions in gold technology

The scope for using KSCN solutions in the field of gold leaching from chemical preparation products of hard arsenopyrite concentrates is shown. More than 95% gold is recovered in weak acidic solutions (pH=2–5) at KSCN concentration 0.4 mol/L. The thiocyanate complexes are recovered on carbon adsorbents (BAU, UC, LKAU-4) as well as on ion exchangers (AV-17-10P, AP-100). The gold recovery degree is 99.2–99.8%. The desorption of gold from ion exchangers can be done by thiocarbamide solutions in H2SO4 at room temperature, and from carbon adsorbents by basic thiocarbamide solutions at ∼150 °C.