Experimental analysis on cyanide removal of gold tailings under medium-temperature roasting

The cyanide content of gold tailings exceeds the standard seriously due to the cyanide extraction process. In order to improve the resource utilization efficiency of gold tailings, a medium-temperature roasting experiment was carried out on the stock tailings of Paishanlou gold mine after washing and pressing filtration treatment. The thermal decomposition rule of cyanide in gold tailings was analyzed, and the effects of different roasting temperatures and roasting durations on cyanide removal efficiency were compared. The results show that when the roasting temperature reaches 150 °C, the weak cyanide compound and free cyanide in the tailings begin to decompose. When the calcination temperature reached 300 °C, the complex cyanide compound began to decompose. When the roasting temperature reaches the initial temperature of cyanide decomposition, the cyanide removal efficiency can be improved by prolonging the roasting time. After roasting at 250–300 °C for 30–40 min, the total cyanide content in the toxic leachate decreased from 3.27 to 0.01 mg/L, which met the water quality standard of III class in China. The research results provide a low-cost and efficient way for cyanide treatment, which is of great significance for promoting the resource utilization of gold tailings and other cyanide-containing wastes.