THE EXTRACTION OF GOLD FROM CYANIDE SOLUTIONS USING MODERATE BASE POLYAMINE ION-EXCHANGE RESINS

Two polyamine moderate base resins were synthesized from 1,3-diaminopropane or 2,4-diamino-2-methylpentane and chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers. These resins were evaluated for gold recovery from cyanide solutions. The effects of solution pH on the resin gold loadings were determined over the pH range 5-12. The selectivities of the resins for gold cyanide over base metal cyanides were determined. These moderate base polyamine resins were compared against dimethylamine type resins with high and low salt splitting capacity for gold cyanide recovery. The resins possess good selectivities for gold, good loading capacities, good elution properties, and can operate at the pH of most leaching streams without acid adjustment.