Hydrometallurgical processing of gold-bearing copper enargite concentrates

This paper outlines the application of the industrially proven technologies of low pressure and temperature Nitrogen Species Catalyzed (NSC) pressure leaching and Alkaline Sulphide Leaching (ASL) for the recovery of copper and gold from enargite. Copper can be recovered as a cathode metal or as a clean concentrate suitable for smelting. Gold is recovered by smelting, conventional cyanidation or alkaline sulphide hydrometallurgy. Coupled with this is the effective precipitation and stabilization of arsenic as scorodite and ferrihydrite.