Historically, ores less than about 3 g/t Au have not been viable to treat in classic mill and CIL circuits. Even though the recovery may have been very good, the revenue just wasn't sufficient to offset the capital, let alone generate an interesting return. APT has recently developed a revolutionary method that will enable a far lower capital investment combined with lower operating costs to then render these projects of interest.

The method combines the tried and proven VAT leach technology of old with APT's high energy crushing and impacting circuit to produce the feedstock for the VAT tanks. The breakthrough happens in that the APT High Energy RD impactor breaks the rock on the grain boundaries into granular, sand like material. In the process, this liberates any free gold that can be caught in APT’s highly effective GoldKacha. Very importantly, the sand particles now also include micro-fractures that enhance the penetration of cyanide in the VATs. The net result is a very high recovery in the VATs, fully approaching what would have been achieved in a conventional crush-ball mill-CIL system at a fraction of the cost. The pregnant solutions generated in the VAT's are then passed through CIS (Carbon In Solution) columns to adsorb the gold onto activated carbon and the loaded carbon is then eluted in an APT Elu-X carbon elution and electrowinning system, prior to a final smelt.

There are a number of distinct advantages in opting for the 'APT RD VAT' system:

1.   Testing. The Peacocke and Simpson laboratory based in Harare, Zimbabwe, can quickly and inexpensively test the amenability of your ore to the APT RD VAT system.

2.   You make the VAT tanks on site, in country, to our design - no import duties, lower cost.

3.   You get the tank and site layout plan, the building plans for the leach tanks, the clarifiers, preg pond, carbon handling pad, barren pond and makeup pond. You also get a full bill of quantities of what to buy in-country to build it all, like a kit. 

4.   Our layout is well thought out and ergonomic, allowing the use of tractor trailers and a back hoe for mechanising filling and emptying the leach tanks.

5.   APT supplies the high technology parts including the carbon column train, sealed solution pumps and Elu-X high efficiency elution, electrowinning and smelting.

6.   APT and Peacocke and Simpson backup to ensure optimisation going forward. Our associate analytical supplier can also provide you with an AA analyser plus accessories to set up your own monitoring laboratory.

Please reach out to us directly on info@aptprocessing.com for more information. We look forward to being of assistance.