Adding value to mine waste through recovery Au, Sb, and As: the case of auriferous tailings in the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil

Abstract

From the colonial era to modern times, gold mining has played a crucial role in shaping Brazil’s economy, culture, and landscape, particularly in the Iron Quadrangle region. Therefore, resulting waste has accumulated in tailings structures, either from deactivated circuits or plants still in production. The present study reveals the potential assessed based on a set of metallurgical tests, assuming specific scenarios depending on the occurrence modes of interesting economic elements. For Au, calcination, leaching, and flotation are promising techniques to recover this element. Tests indicated that toxic elements such as Sb and As could be effectively reused in the form of glass. The generation of other products from dry cleaning techniques was not effective but promising since there was an enrichment of elements with Au, Fe, Al, and K in specific fractions.