Application of innovative processes for the exploitation of mining waste

The metals and industrial minerals contained in the tailings produced by mining and quarrying activities, are cause of environmental damage. The objective of this experimental work is the application of innovative technologies for the treatment and exploitation of mining tailings in Romania, in order to recover materials high grade raw to be placed on the market, reducing the volume of the wastes. Further objective, is to optimize some parameters relating to the dissolution of gold and the subsequent recovery from purified solutions, determining beforehand the technical feasibility of the scheme of process developed on a laboratory scale. The study is focused on hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of gold. The innovative treatment chosen is the thiosulphate process that, compared to conventional cyanide, has several advantages, first of all the most eco-friendly and non- toxic to humans. The results achieved so far are very encouraging and would certainly permit to improve the process yields, energetic and reagents consumption.