• Case Study
Cyanco Savings in Action:

Detoxification Circuit Design Assistance for North American Mine

Property
Mill with CIP circuit and tonnage throughput of approximately 10,000 TPD.
Customer Need

After being shut down for several months, our customer requested a review of the detox circuit prior to the mill’s restart to:

  • Improve a poorly operating detoxification circuit.
  • Ensure a tight re-start timeline was not disrupt by the detox circuit issues.
Results

Cyanco ran a Phase 2 Circuit Design Review and subsequently a Phase 1 Detoxification test series.

  • Test work showed that the SO2/Air process would be able to work effectively if several changes to the operating conditions were made.
  • Phase 2 Engineering Review showed that the existing circuit at the site was under-designed.
  • The existing reactor was upgraded in accordance with Cyanco findings and the reagent consumption was reduced by 50%.
Operational Savings

  • 10K TPD
    Ore Processed

  • Detoxification
    circuit design

  • On-time
    startup

  • 50% reduction
    in reagent consumption

  • $450,000
    savings in OpEx costs

    • A Nevada mine with a poorly running detox circuit had been shut down for several months. The customer requested a Cyanco review of the detox circuit prior to the mill’s and emphasized that they had a tight timeline that could not be disrupted.

    Cyanco ran a Phase 2 Circuit Design Review and subsequently a Phase 1 Detoxification test series. The test work showed that the SO2/AIR process could work effectively with several changes to the operating conditions. And, the Phase 2 Engineering Review showed that the existing circuit at the site was under-designed. Based on the lab data and the subsequent review of the sites detoxification system, Cyanco was able to make recommendations that not only improved existing treatment circuit performance, but also reduced the amount of reagent being added.

    In accordance with Cyanco’s findings, the existing reactor was upgraded and consumption was reduced by 50%. The mill restarted on-time and benefited from an OpEx savings of $450,000.

    Service and partnership are core to Cyanco and essential to client success. By working closely with the site, Cyanco was able to make recommendations to meet the site’s specific needs, which resulted in the minimization of capital investment to make the existing circuit work effectively.