The Institute of Applied Science and Technologies (IAST) – University of Guyana (UG) on Thursday, conducted a presentation and demonstration of equipment designed for mercury- free extraction of gold, using cyanidation and activated carbon methodologies.The presentation was held at the Institute’s headquarters at the University of Guyana Campus,NFL Jerseys Authentic, Turkeyen. It attracted participation from various stakeholders and relevant representatives from agencies such as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Gold and Diamonds Miners’ Association (GGDMA) and Ming’s Services Limited.At the presentation,Cheap Jerseys Online, IAST’s Director, Dr. Suresh Narine, revealed that since Guyana became a signatory to the Minamata Convention in 2013, which is focused on the eradication of mercury use in the gold mining sector, various stakeholders in collaboration with the institute have been looking at a variety of measures to begin to address the use of mercury particularly in surface mining operations.While admitting that most of the hard rock mining operations would already be using mercury-free methods,Wholesale Jerseys Online, the majority of all of the surface mining operations he stated, are generally owned by locals and are all mercury intensive.Hence, for the past two years,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, IAST has focused its efforts on finding an appropriate methodology that will “fit well” into the medium scale surface-type mining operations.Vishal Kishun, a former employee of GGMC and graduate of Trent University,China NFL Jerseys, Canada, has spent almost 18 months on an experiment at the University in Canada, where he was shipped ore from local gold mining businessman, Babulall Chunilall.The ore was then assayed by Kishun who became aware of the amount of gold in the ore.Kishun then took the ore; varied its particle size, the power of hydrogen (pH) of extraction, the temperature of extraction in a simplex method and looked at it independently, varying each of those parameters to optimise how the gold must be extracted using cyanide slurry.After extraction by cyanide, an analysis was conducted to find out how much of the gold was extracted by the cyanide slurry as a function of those parameters; particle size, pH and temperature. He then proceeded to use the activated carbon method.Ultimately Kishun was able to recover between 92 per cent and 96 percent of gold in all cases given the optimum parameters.Dr. Narine stated that they have scaled up the methodology from what was done in the lab so that it could be applicable to the scale of mining being conducted in the interior.“This is no longer a research; we are ready to roll out this equipment into the fields… artner on it so that we can work together to mount this equipment onto a mobile trailer that can be pulled into the tough terrain and so it need not reside at one person’s operations.“This equipment was bought by government and so various operations can have the benefit of seeing how it works; be trained on it.” Dr. Narine said.The presentation was met with much scrutiny as attendees asked various questions pertaining to the cost of the equipment and the acquiring of key components.It was revealed that the cost of the equipment is estimated at US$15,000 excluding the cost to mount it, which would be an additional US$5000 to US$7000.Some years ago, Pinnacle Investments came to Guyana to look at three projects, one was activated carbon. On Thursday,Wholesale Jerseys From China, it was revealed that the company will be providing the activated carbon for the equipment from coconut shells.Director of Pinnacle Investments, Dr. Rajneesh Mehra, told the gathering that the company is looking to set up a “full fledged” manufacturing facility and have approached the Guyana Government for their support. |
