CIP Introduction

Gold CIP (Carbon in Pulp) is a non-filtered cyanide carbon slurry process that recovers gold from cyanide slurry through activated carbon adsorption. Gold CIP is the ideal choice for processing oxidized gold ores with low sulfur content and high clay content. CHUNLEI is a supplier of customized gold CIP processing equipment designed to efficiently address these challenges.

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What is Gold CIP?

Gold CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp) is a gold extraction technology primarily comprising cyanide leaching, activated carbon adsorption, desorption, and carbon regeneration. Whole ore cyanidation leaches gold from crushed ore, followed by direct adsorption and recovery of gold from the cyanide pulp using activated carbon. This method is widely adopted due to its high cost-effectiveness and recovery rates.
The CIP process is primarily suitable for two types of ores:
① Flotation gold concentrates or amalgam/gravity separation tailings;
② Oxidized muddy ores, particularly those with high clay content and poor filterability.

Differences Between Gold CIP and CIL

In the CIP process, leaching precedes adsorption. Gold leaching typically occurs first in dedicated tanks, followed by adsorption in separate tanks where activated carbon is introduced. Cyanide leaching and carbon adsorption are two independent, sequential steps. This process is suitable for simple, easily leachable ores or those with low carbon content.
In the CIL process, leaching and adsorption occur simultaneously within the same tank. This is particularly suitable for gold ores that inherently contain carbonaceous material.
Compared to the Merrill-Crowe process (zinc precipitation method), CIP/CIL processes are generally more effective for low-grade ores and those with higher silver or copper content, as carbon exhibits greater selectivity for gold.

Complete Gold CIP Process Flow

The CIP carbon-in-pulp process comprises seven key stages:

1. Crushing and Grinding
   Gold-bearing ore is crushed and ground using equipment such as jaw crushers and ball mills to achieve a particle size suitable for cyanidation. This thoroughly liberates gold minerals and removes impurities to prevent gold loss.
2. Cyanide Leaching
   Sodium cyanide (or potassium cyanide) solution is added to agitated tanks, reacting with gold to form soluble cyanide-gold complexes. Leaching duration is adjusted based on ore properties.
3. Activated Carbon Adsorption
   This core CIP step occurs in tandem adsorption tanks post-leaching. Activated carbon is added to leach tanks, where countercurrent adsorption recovers gold. Vibrating screens then separate carbon from the pulp.
4. Gold Desorption from Activated Carbon
   This step “releases” gold from the activated carbon. Gold-loaded carbon is removed from the adsorption tank, washed, and fed into dedicated desorption columns where high-temperature desorption occurs.
5. Electrolytic Deposition
   This step extracts gold from the liquid phase, converting it into a solid. The eluate (with gold grades reaching 600 g/m³) enters an electrolytic cell where an electric current causes gold to deposit, forming gold slime. Electrolytic deposition achieves recovery rates exceeding 99.5%.
6. Activated Carbon Regeneration
   The desorbed carbon (termed depleted carbon) exhibits reduced activity due to surface impurities and requires regeneration for reuse. It undergoes acid washing with dilute hydrochloric acid followed by calcination at approximately 750°C for about 30 minutes.
   Once reactivated, it can be recycled.
7. Tailings Treatment
   The slurry discharged from the final adsorption tank (tailings) contains trace amounts of cyanide. It must undergo environmental treatment to meet discharge standards, preventing pollution.

The CIP carbon-in-pulp process forms a meticulously designed closed-loop system. Through its core countercurrent adsorption design, it achieves highly efficient and economical gold recovery, establishing itself as an indispensable mainstream technology in modern gold extraction.

Role of Activated Carbon in Gold CIP Process

Activated carbon is indispensable in gold CIP processes. While its raw materials are diverse, coconut shell carbon is renowned for its highly developed microporous structure, making it the preferred choice for CIP applications. The entire process primarily involves two major steps: carbonization and activation.

Step 1: Carbonization
Carbonization involves heating raw materials in an oxygen-deficient or oxygen-free environment to 400-700°C. This removes volatile substances (such as water vapor, hydrocarbons, and tar) from the raw material, forming an initial pore structure to produce “carbonized material.” At this stage, the material possesses preliminary adsorption capacity, but its pores are prone to clogging and require further processing.

Step 2: Activation
Activation is the core process determining activated carbon’s final adsorption performance. It involves two methods: physical and chemical activation.

• Physical Activation: The carbonized material reacts with oxidizing gases (e.g., steam, carbon dioxide) at 800-1100°C to remove some carbon atoms, thereby cleaning and enlarging pores formed during carbonization. This process is relatively environmentally friendly but consumes high energy.
• Chemical Impregnation Method: The raw material is mixed with chemicals and impregnated. At temperatures between 450-900°C, tar formation is suppressed while corrosion and pore formation occur. This method is highly efficient and low in energy consumption but may cause equipment corrosion and environmental pollution.

CHUNLEI highlights a frequently overlooked step here—carbon testing. In gold mines employing the carbon-in-pulp (CIP) process, prolonged operation inevitably leads to activated carbon degradation. Therefore, regular carbon inspection is a critical step. It involves testing and analyzing the gold content, distribution, pore structure, and contaminants within the activated carbon used in the process to optimize production and minimize gold loss. Carbon inspection makes the CIP adsorption process efficient and controllable, serving as a vital component in gold recovery.

Advantageous features of Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp

• High adsorption rate and high recovery rate: Activated carbon has high adsorption capacity and can effectively recover gold from slurry.
• No filtration step: The CIP process eliminates the expensive solid-liquid separation process, simplifies the process and reduces production costs.
• Optimize production links: By optimizing each production link, production efficiency is improved.
• Suitable for complex ores: The CIP process is particularly suitable for ores that have undergone complex smelting reactions, and can significantly improve production efficiency and reduce chemical and electricity consumption.

In short, the CIP carbon slurry method is an efficient and economical gold extraction process and is widely used in the gold mining industry.

Core Equipment and Maintenance of the Gold CIP Plant

The CIP process primarily encompasses the following operational stages: leaching pulp preparation, cyanide leaching, activated carbon adsorption, gold-loaded carbon desorption, electrolytic gold sludge production, gold-stripped carbon recycling, and pulp treatment. Core equipment is distributed across these production segments:

Processing Stages	Core Equipment	Primary Functions and Characteristics
Ore Pre-treatment	Jaw Crusher, Ultra-Fine Laminar Self-Grinding Mill, Ball Mill	Crush and grind ore to the target particle size (typically requiring 60-70% passing -200 mesh), ensuring thorough liberation of gold minerals to prepare for cyanide leaching.
Leaching and Adsorption	Leaching Agitator Tank, Carbon Separation Screen (Carbon Recovery Screen)	Leaching Tanks: Thoroughly mix cyanide solution with pulp to dissolve gold. Carbon Separation Screen: Separate activated carbon from pulp to prevent carbon loss.
Gold-Bearing Carbon Processing	High-Efficiency Low-Consumption Rapid Desorption Electrolysis System	Under high temperature (up to 150°C) and high pressure (up to 0.5 MPa) in a sealed, cyanide-free environment, gold is desorbed from gold-loaded carbon and electrolytically converted into gold slime, achieving a desorption rate exceeding 96%.
Auxiliary Systems	Slurry Impurity Removal Unit	Removes impurities such as wood chips from the pulp prior to adsorption to prevent gold adsorption, contamination of carbon-rich material, or clogging of the carbon separator screen.

Crushing and Grinding Equipment:
Regularly inspect the wear condition of jaw crusher jaw plates; monitor ball mill liner wear and lubrication systems to ensure stable grinding fineness.

Leaching and Adsorption System:

• Leaching Agitator Tanks:Regularly inspect agitator blade corrosion and wear to maintain agitation intensity and prevent mineral sedimentation.
• Carbon Retention Screen: This is a maintenance priority. Regularly clean the screen mesh to prevent clogging and inspect for damage to avoid loss of activated carbon and gold.

Desorption Electrolysis System: This is the heart of the plant, demanding the highest maintenance standards.

• Regularly inspect pressure-resistant components and seals to ensure no leakage under high temperature and pressure.
• Calibrate control systems for temperature, pressure, liquid level, etc., to guarantee stable desorption process parameters.
• Regularly clean and replace the electrodes in the electrolysis system.

Activated Carbon Management:

• Carbon Loss Control: Activated carbon undergoes wear and consumption during circulation. Fine carbon particles must be effectively recovered via the carbon separator screen, with regular replenishment of new carbon.
• Carbon Regeneration: Depleted carbon after desorption requires activation in a high-temperature regeneration kiln to restore its adsorption activity. Regeneration temperature and atmosphere must be strictly controlled to prevent carbon burn-off.

Key Process Parameters for CIP Carbon Pulp Method

Process Stage	Core Parameters	Optimization Objectives
Grinding Fineness	– 200 mesh particle size: 60–70%	Complete gold dissociation
Cyanide Leaching	NaCN concentration: 800 g/t, time: 48 hours	Maximize gold dissolution
Carbon Adsorption	Base carbon density: 12 g/L, carbon particle size: 1.43–2.8 mm	Improve adsorption rate, reduce carbon loss
Desorption Electrolysis	Temperature: 150°C, pressure: 0.5 MPa, time: 12 hours	Desorption rate >96%
Carbon Regeneration	Temperature: 923–973 K, time: 30 minutes	Restore carbon activity

How To Choose The Right Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp For Sale

Choosing the right Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp requires careful consideration of several key factors. This is a guide to help you understand how Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp works.

By taking these factors into consideration, you can find the beneficiation line that best suits your project’s needs, ensuring smooth operation and maximizing your investment.

What Projects Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp Can Be Used in?

What are the different uses of Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp? Here are a few items that are often used gold ore flotation production line for sale, highlighting their unique features. When choosing a Gold Mine CIP Carbon-in-pulp, consider factors such as the temperature of the material and climate, not just the application area.

The beneficiation production line can be adapted to the needs of different industries, such as metallurgical industry, chemical industry, building materials industry and so on.