Study on the possibility of gold recovery from tailings at Ta Phoi copper processing plant – Lao Cai

Abstract

The beneficiation technology employed at the copper ore processing plant of Ta Phoi Copper Joint Stock Company is primarily aimed at recovering copper from ores. Both selective flotation and bulk flotation technologies have been applied, yielding relatively good technical indicators. The average copper concentrate grade reaches approximately 23% Cu, meeting export standards, while the average copper recovery rate in concentrate is around 88%–92%. The copper content in the tailings is ≤0.09% Cu. Additionally, the tailings contain approximately 0.1–0.3 g/t of gold and about 3.29% of rare earth oxide (REO). Furthermore, the gold recovery in the copper concentrate is around 60%, with an average grade of ~5g/t Au. Currently, the beneficiation process at Ta Phoi Copper Processing Plant does not focus on the recovery of other valuable components. Most of these elements, including copper, gold, rare earth elements,.., remain in the tailings. Since the Ta Phoi Copper Processing Plant only recently commenced operations in 2018, there have been no studies in Vietnam specifically targeting the recovery of valuable components from its tailings. This paper presents several research findings on the potential recovery of gold from the tailings of the Ta Phoi Copper Processing Plant. The aim is to conserve natural resources and energy, reduce environmental degradation, lower treatment costs, minimize the discharge of solid waste into the environment, and ensure the safety of the tailings storage facility. At the same time, it seeks to enhance the supply of mineral raw materials for downstream processing industries.