Silver production and increasing of silver recovery efficiency at ETİ GÜMÜŞ A.Ş.

In our country, precious metals such as gold and silver are produced by the way of Leaching Process. Leaching process efficiency in gold is higher than silver leach process. So the reaction period takes longer time (32-48 hours) than gold during silver recovery process to create more complex. In recovering silver, during the leaching process , it is aimed to increase silver recovery efficiency by the way of reducing the slowing down effects for dissolution. Big sized ore particles which is ground in the mills are known as reducing effect for teach efficiency because it reduces the quantity which is connected to the sodium cyanide. The scope of this thesis is the test works for particle size to increase silver recovery and calculation of recovery efficiency depending on ore type. At first step the calculations of silver recovery were carried on different ore types and realized for different particle sizes of same silver ore after leach tests. Adherence to the terms and duration of the realization of the production reactions leaching experiments, were terminated in 32 hours after recovery efficiency calculation depending on silver in liquid phase silver which reacts with sodium cyanide. During leaching test, 0,65 liter per minute of air is given and the alkaline media was provided with addition of lime regularly so that pH becomes between 10 and 12. Due to the experimental results, same experimental conditions were applied to the ores which contains same silver grade. The less particle size the higher silver dissolution efficiency was observed. Considering the leaching test results of the silver ores which has 96 g/ton Ag grade and was used in our daily conditions, the efficiency of 7 micron sized ore is higher 7,3 percent than 15 micron sized ore. According to the leach results of this and other similars, it was observed that how well the ore is ground less particle size, the silver recovery efficiency will increase accordingly.Keywords: Particle Size, Silver, Sodium Cyanide.