What specifications should activated carbon meet for gold recovery?

Gold recovery carbon should have: hardness >95% (ball-pan), iodine number >1050 mg/g, moisture <5%, ash <3%, apparent density 0.48–0.54 g/mL, and particle size 6×12 or 6×16 mesh. High hardness is critical to withstand the abrasive CIP/CIL circuit.

What is the difference between CIP and CIL gold recovery?

In CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp), gold is first leached with cyanide, then carbon is added to adsorb dissolved gold. In CIL (Carbon-in-Leach), leaching and adsorption happen simultaneously. CIL is faster and better for preg-robbing ores but requires more carbon inventory.

How much gold can activated carbon adsorb per kilogram?

High-quality carbon can adsorb 20–70 grams of gold per kilogram. In practice, CIP/CIL circuits typically load carbon to 5,000–20,000 ppm (5–20 g Au/kg C) before stripping to maintain efficient kinetics.

How is gold stripped from loaded activated carbon?

Common methods are Zadra and AARL stripping, using hot caustic cyanide solution (NaOH + NaCN) at 90–130°C. AARL is faster (12–24 hours vs 48–72 hours) and produces more concentrated eluate but requires a separate acid-wash step.

How often is carbon regenerated in gold mining operations?

Carbon is thermally regenerated after each strip cycle, usually every 3–5 loading cycles. Regeneration at 650–750°C in a rotary kiln restores capacity by burning off organic fouling. Carbon losses of 30–100 g per ton of ore are typical and require regular make-up.

Activated Carbon for Gold Mining: CIP vs CIL Guide [2026 Specs & Pricing]

Q: What is the difference between CIP and CIL gold recovery?

In CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp), gold is first leached with cyanide, then carbon is added to adsorb dissolved gold. In CIL (Carbon-in-Leach), leaching and adsorption happen simultaneously. CIL is faster and better for preg-robbing ores but requires more carbon inventory.

Q: How much gold can activated carbon adsorb per kilogram?

High-quality carbon can adsorb 20–70 grams of gold per kilogram. In practice, CIP/CIL circuits typically load carbon to 5,000–20,000 ppm (5–20 g Au/kg C) before stripping to maintain efficient kinetics.

Q: How is gold stripped from loaded activated carbon?

Common methods are Zadra and AARL stripping, using hot caustic cyanide solution (NaOH + NaCN) at 90–130°C. AARL is faster (12–24 hours vs 48–72 hours) and produces more concentrated eluate but requires a separate acid-wash step.

Q: How often is carbon regenerated in gold mining operations?

Carbon is thermally regenerated after each strip cycle, usually every 3–5 loading cycles. Regeneration at 650–750°C in a rotary kiln restores capacity by burning off organic fouling. Carbon losses of 30–100 g per ton of ore are typical and require regular make-up.

Why Activated Carbon for Gold Recovery?

Activated carbon has been the gold standard (pun intended) for gold recovery since the 1970s. The gold-cyanide complex [Au(CN)₂]⁻ adsorbs strongly onto activated carbon, allowing efficient extraction from leach solutions.

Coconut shell activated carbon dominates this application due to its exceptional hardness (>95%) and high gold loading capacity.

CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp) Process

In CIP, leaching and carbon adsorption are separate stages:

1. Ore is ground and leached with cyanide solution
2. Leached pulp flows to a series of adsorption tanks
3. Activated carbon is added counter-current to pulp flow
4. Loaded carbon is removed, stripped, and regenerated

CIP Advantages

• Better control over leaching conditions
• Lower carbon inventory required
• Easier to optimize each stage independently

CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) Process

In CIL, leaching and adsorption occur simultaneously:

1. Ore, cyanide, and activated carbon are added together
2. Gold dissolves and immediately adsorbs onto carbon
3. Reduces preg-robbing losses from carbonaceous ores
4. Shorter overall residence time

CIL Advantages

• Better for preg-robbing ores
• Simpler circuit design
• Lower capital cost
• Faster gold recovery kinetics

Gold recovery activated carbon with high hardness for CIP/CIL circuits

Carbon Specifications for Gold Recovery

Critical parameters for gold recovery carbon:

Parameter	Specification	Why It Matters
Iodine Number	>1050 mg/g	Indicates adsorption capacity
Hardness	>95%	Resists attrition in agitated tanks
Particle Size	6×12 mesh typical	Balance of kinetics and screening
Ash Content	<3%	Lower ash = higher activity
Moisture	<5%	Affects shipping weight

CIP vs CIL: Which to Choose?

Choose CIP When:

• Ore is not preg-robbing
• Need precise leaching control
• Existing infrastructure supports it
• Lower carbon consumption priority

Choose CIL When:

• Ore contains natural carbon (preg-robbing)
• Simpler operation preferred
• New greenfield project
• Faster recovery needed

Carbon Management Best Practices

• Regular screening to remove fines
• Thermal regeneration at 650-750°C
• Acid wash to remove calcium carbonate buildup
�� Monitor gold loading (typically 5-15 kg Au/ton carbon)
• Track carbon losses (target <30 g/ton ore)

Our Manufacturing Facility

Every batch of gold recovery activated carbon we produce undergoes strict quality control at our ISO-certified manufacturing facility. From raw coconut shell selection to final hardness testing, we ensure consistent performance for demanding CIP and CIL gold extraction processes.

Quality control laboratory testing activated carbon for gold mining applications

Need Gold Recovery Carbon?

We supply premium coconut shell carbon for gold mining with iodine >1100 mg/g and hardness >97%.

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Activated Carbon in Gold Mining: CIP vs CIL