soluble gold loss (CARBON IN PULP)

Gold soluble losses are driven by carbon activity, carbon distribution and carbon upstream movements. Activity is important, however, good management of the other variables often compensates for poor activity.

The management of carbon distributions and movements can be automated - reducing soluble loss:

• Determine  the optimum carbon distribution and transfer rate to minimise soluble loss using SIMCIL modelling (by the Gold Technology Group at Curtin University). 
• Install device(s) to measure carbon distribution in the tanks.
• Use SCADA to maintain optimum carbon distribution s and carbon upstream movements.

Reducing the value of soluble losses has always interested Bill McCallum and led to his involvement in the development of the Carbon Scout for measuring the distribution of carbon in CIP tanks.  

Carbon Scout is commercially available through Gekko Systems Pty Ltd of Ballarat, Victoria.:

• Each Carbon Scout will measure the carbon distribution in up to ten CIP tanks - one after the other.
• The measuring process imitates the manual procedure;  20 litres of slurry is collected, the solids are washed from the carbon particles using a screen and the volume of the carbon particles is measured. 
• The device is ground mounted, uses syphons for sample collection  and provides Gold In Circuit survey samples as required..
• The device can be upgraded to provide pH and dissolved oxygen readings in parallel with carbon distribution. 
• Purchase of a Carbon Scout includes SIMCIL Modelling.