A new approach to the recycling of gold mine tailings using red mud and waste limestone as melting fluxes

• Published in: Geosystem engineering Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 44 - 49
• Main Authors: Kim, Soo-kyung, Yang, Dong-hyo, Rao, S.V., Nam, Chul-woo, Rhee, Kang-in, Sohn, Jeong-soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.03.2012
• Subjects: recycling; red mud; slag atomizing; tailing; waste limestone
• ISSN: 1226-9328; 2166-3394
• DOI: 10.1080/12269328.2012.674683

Gold mine tailing, red mud and waste limestone cause very serious problems to the environment. Due to their abundant amount of waste as well as difficulties with disposal, an appropriate recycling technology of this waste is necessary to mine and smelting industries. As a prospective process for treating a large volume of the waste, slag atomizing technology is developed. Slag composition is the most important factor in manufacturing slag granules. The waste was mixed with the ratio of 26 wt% of tailing, 38 wt% of red mud and 36 wt% of waste limestone for a better melting operation regarding product property, viscosity and melting temperature. After pelletizing the above mixture, the pellets were dried in an oven for 2 days and were melted in an electric arc furnace at 1500(C for 2 hours. Separated slag was atomized under air gas surrounding with the velocity of 75 m/second. The final obtained precious slag balls might have good physical properties, such as highly spherical shape and narrow size distribution for application in abrasives, roofing granules, polymer concrete and road paving materials.