- Increase gold dissolution rates by 20–40%.
- Shorten leach residence times, boosting throughput.
- Lower overall cyanide consumption per ounce of gold.
Industrial
Tonnage
Oxygen plays a number of critical roles across the gold-mining value chain, from ore preparation and processing through to tailings management and on-site safety.
Oxygen-enriched Leach Solutions
Dissolved oxygen is the key oxidant that drives the gold-cyanide complex formation. By enriching the leach solution with oxygen (either by pure O₂ injection or by using oxygen-treated air), plants can:
Pressure Oxidation (POX) for Refractory Ores
Many sulphide-associated (“refractory”) gold ores require pre-treatment under high-pressure, high-temperature, oxygen-rich conditions. POX autoclaves inject pure O₂ (often ≥90% concentration) at 1.5–3.0 MPa to oxidize sulphides and liberate occluded gold.
Typical benefits:
- +5–10% uplift in target mineral recovery
- Cleaner concentrates (lower mass pull)
- Reduced Reagent Consumption
- Some collectors and frothers perform more efficiently in oxygen-rich conditions, enabling lower dosages of expensive flotation chemicals.
Case Study
A West African gold plant reported a 25% throughput increase and a 15% cyanide-savings after retrofitting its CIP line with a on-site oxygen generator.
A Canadian refractory ore operation saw overall gold recovery jump from 65% to 92% following implementation of a pressure-oxidation autoclave with pure O₂.
Using the Zenox Tonnage Oxygen Generator with MBVD technology not only reduces cyanide consumption but also lowers power usage—promoting a cleaner, greener, and pollution-free world.
