COURSE UNIT TITLE

: PROCESSING OF PRECIOUS AND PLATINUM GROUP METALS

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
MIN 5086 PROCESSING OF PRECIOUS AND PLATINUM GROUP METALS ELECTIVE 2 0 0 5

Offered By

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR ABDULLAH SEYRANKAYA

Offered to

Mineral Processing
Mineral Processing
Mineral Processing

Course Objective

This course provides students with an overview and general understanding of the recovery methods (physical and physico-chemical and chemical) of precious and platinum group metals. This course reviews the fundamental of cyanidation and other lixiviant for gold and silver extraction. This course also describes the processes of leaching, purification and electrolysis in aqueous systems used in the recovery of precious and platinum group metals, and enables the students to assess and develop alternative conceptual process flow sheets.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   understand the relationship between physical, physico-chemical and chemical principles and mineral processing methods for gold and silver minerals
2   understand the mechanisms of cyanidation and other leach processes for gold and silver
3   understand the extraction and recovery processes for platinum group metals
4   increase the knowledge on the chemical processes
5   follow developments related to hydrometallurgical process to recover gold and silver
6   promote critical thinking and capability to perform the basic engineering calculations, and provide the ability to evaluate the results of the experiments and to determine the effect of parameters on the results
7   develop conceptual hydrometallurgical process flow sheet for different types of ore containing gold, silver and platinum group metals
8   evaluate the effects of various chemical processes on environment and human health.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Physical and chemical properties of gold and silver: Chemical and physical properties of gold and silver, their minerals, oxidation state of gold in aqueous systems, analysis methods (AAS, fire assay)
2 Processing methods and their parameters: Gold processing methods (gravity, flotation), factors affecting recovery, the use of centrifuge-based devices; parameters in the selection of process (geological, mineralogical, metallurgical, environmental, economic, and political factors)
3 Ore deposits and process mineralogy and process selection: Placers, free-milling ores and oxide ores, sulphide ores, refractory ores, carbonaceous ores, gold-telluride ores, gravity and flotation concentrates and their features
4 Ore deposits and process mineralogy and process selection: Flow sheet development, factors affecting process selection, pre-treatment / processing methods of refractory gold ores, roasting, high-pressure oxidation, biological, chemical oxidation processes, flows heet options
5 Hydrometallurgical process of gold and silver Cyanidation: Theories on gold cyanidation, mechanism of cyanidation, reaction kinetics, factors affecting cyanidation (oxygen, pH-Eh, cyanide concentration, particle size, temperature, etc.)., behavior of other minerals in alkaline cyanide solutions
6 Hydrometallurgical process of gold and silver: Other lixiviants used in the gold leaching and their mechanisms (thiourea, thiosulfate, halogens etc.)
7 Solution purification and concentration and recovery: Purification and concentration of the solution containing gold, carbon adsorption methods (CIP, CIL).
8 Solution purification and concentration and recovery: Ion exchange, solvent extraction processes and general principles, recovery of gold, zinc / aluminum precipitation, factors affecting precipitation, and electrowinning
9 Platinum group metals and properties: Platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium) and their properties
10 Platinum group metals and properties: Hydrometallurgical processes for platinum group metals
11 Examples from various types of gold-silver ore processing plants-1: Industrial applications (placer deposits, free-milling ores, refractory-type ores, telluride ores, carbon-containing ores, silver-rich ores, copper-rich ores)
12 Examples from various types of gold-silver ore processing plants-2: Industrial applications (placer deposits, free-milling ores, refractory-type ores, telluride ores, carbon-containing ores, silver-rich ores, copper-rich ores)
13 Cyanide decomposition methods and environmental assessments: Cyanide decomposition methods (natural and chemical methods - general principles), environmental risk assessments, occupational health and safety; and evaluation of recent developments in our country's gold mining
14 Developments in hydrometallurgical processes

Recomended or Required Reading

Coulson and Richardson, (1976). Chemical engineering. Pergamon Int. Library.
Weiss, N.L. (editor-in-Chief), (1985). SME Mineral Processing Handbook, Society of Mining Engineers of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. New York.
Yannapoulos, J.C. (1991). The Extractive Metallurgy of Gold, VNR New York USA.
Marsden, J. & Hause, I., (1992). The Chemistry of Gold Extraction, Ellis Horwood Limited.
Habashi, F., (1985). Principles of Extractive Metallurgy, Volume 2: Hydrometallurgy, Gordon & Breach Science Publishers, New York.
Harland, C.E., (1994). Ion exchange : theory and practice . 2nd ed. Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry, 062117110523
Weiss, N.L. (editor-in-Chief), (1985). SME Mineral Processing Handbook, Society of Mining Engineers of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. New York.
Materials: Lecture Notes

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Class presentation and discussion, Team works, laboratory applications, Reports of analyses results, Project presentation, Individual assignment

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 ASG ASSIGNMENT
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.25 + ASG *0.25 +FIN *0.50
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.25 + ASG *0.25 +RST *0.50


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

1-6: Mid-term exam, Laboratory and Reports, Project presentation
1-8: Final exam

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

To be announced.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Prof. Dr. Abdullah SEYRANKAYA: a.seyrankaya@deu.edu.tr Tel: +90 232 301 75 19

Office Hours

To be announced.

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 2 28
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 1 14
Preparation for midterm exam 1 10 10
Preparation for final exam 1 10 10
Preparing assignments 3 12 36
Preparing presentations 3 6 18
Final 1 2 2
Midterm 1 2 2
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 120

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11
LO.154442112131
LO.252332112131
LO.352332112131
LO.452353143131
LO.554334414145
LO.621555455344
LO.751555434334
LO.824444512522

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

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