Scientific-Research and Design-Engineering Departments of the Institute

Mining and Ore Beneficiation / Laboratory of Precious Metals and Flotation agents

Leading researchers:

• Nataliya Sulakvelidze, Chief of the Laboratory
• Gulzhanat Sainova, Senior Researcher
• Anastassiya Miroshnikova, Senior Researcher
• Yliyana Makarova, Senior Researcher
• Rauan Arabayev, Senior Researcher

The major fields of activity are:

• Development and improvement of the technologies for beneficiation of gold and silver-bearing complex ores, resistant gold and arsenic ores, ledge gold ores by means of conventional methods as well as by hydrometallurgical and combined processes (including various types of heap leaching, bacterial leaching and sorption leaching of various ore types);
• Researches of the new deposits for ore beneficiation characteristics;
• Testing of new reagents for various types of ore;
• Phase (rational) analysis for determination of gold and silver presence in ores and beneficiation products;
• Development of environmentally friendly processes for industrial raw material processing;
• Mineralogical analysis of ores and beneficiation products;
• Development of process procedures for designing of gold recovery facilities.

The Laboratory is equipped with:

• Ball mill
• Jigger
• Washing table
• Flotation machines
• Grinders  
• Agitators
• Mechanical stirrer
• Rotaps
• pH-meters
• Driers 
• Roll tables
• Planetary mill
• Balance
• Heap leaching chamber and columns
• Sorption columns

The major developments of the laboratory are:

• Gravitation-floatation technology for recovery of gold-bearing concentrate from the tailings of Staroye Tailings Storage and preparation of process procedures for it. Introduction of this technology into Ridder Beneficiation Plant allowed recovering of more than 68% of gold;
• Starting-up of gold recovery department and adjustment of gravitation equipment for beneficiation of ore from Tishinskiy Deposit;
• Technologies for processing of resistant gold-arsenic ores with preparation of process procedures for designing of gold recovery plants (Rodnikoviy Deposit, Yuzhno-Tokhtarovskiy Deposit, Akzhal);
• Implementation of three stage flotation flowsheet during processing of gold-bearing ores from Suzdalskiy Deposit, resulted in gold losses decrease by 50%;
• Technology to process gold-bearing ores by heap leaching (Raygorodskoye Ore Field and Ashalinskoye Group, Rodnikoviy Deposit). In 2009, gold recovery facility was commissioned for processing of ores from Severniy Raygorodok Area; 
• Flotation technology for gold-lead-barium ores with high content (up to 70%) of oxidized lead (Zhanalyk Deposit); Process procedures were developed, beneficiation plant was commissioned in 2008. 78.5% of lead, 77% of gold and 77% of silver are recovered into lead concentrate;
• Technology for processing of low-sulfide and sulfide gold-bearing ores by sorption cyanide leaching  (Sekisovskiy, Komarovskiy Deposits). In 2008, gold recovery plant ‘Altay Ken Bayitu’ was commissioned (ores from Sekisovskiy Deposit);
• Technology for processing of lead-silver ores form Prognoz Deposit (Russia) and process procedures for designing of beneficiation pant. During ore flotation 86% of lead and 93% of silver are recovered into lead concentrate;
• Technology for processing of composites of solid and impregnated copper sulfide ores from Karchiga Deposit. During ore flotation up to 91% of copper is recovered into copper concentrate;   
• Development of new reagent modes for flotation of various copper ores from Dzheskazganskiy deposit; composites of various copper ores and copper slag, processed in Balkhash beneficiation plant;
• Technology for processing of gold-copper sulfide ore from Yubileynoye Deposit with development of process procedures for designing of gold recovery plant. During ore flotation 89% of gold and 92% of copper are recovered into concentrate.
• Process procedures for processing of gold-bearing ores from Kutyuhinskoye Deposit (500 000 t/y), Raygorodok (2.0 mln t/y);
• Study of gold beneficiation ability of sulfide ore in  copper porphyritic section of Bala-Urpek, Kanshoky;
• Process procedures for sulfide ore dressing from Balazhal Deposit: gold recovery by flotation using single stage flowsheet of grinding and flotation and direct cyanidation of ground tails;
• Research and development of the technology for processing of gold-bearing ores of Kostobe, Mukur, Akzhal, Zapadnyi Khazret, Sharyk, Zharkydyk, Nizhniye Kymustu, Bneli-Hevi (Georgia) Deposits;
• Complex works for determination of gold and silver content in flotation products based on rational analysis for ore dressing plants of IVS, CJSC (Russia), ‘Kazzinc’ Ltd. (Kazakhstan). The results provide for objective assessment of beneficiation plant operation and find out reasons for gold losses with final tailings and in various process points of gold recovery at the plant.

All the developments are protected by the patents of the Republic of Kazakhstan.