The Golden Jubilee Mine in South Africa is the first mine in the Western World to introduce resin-in-pulp technology for the recovery of gold from a cyanide-leached slurry. Batch tests were carried out with strong-base resins, and the results were very promising, and pointed to fast kinetics and a high loading capacity. In 1987 a more detailed investigation of the RIP option was carried out, and a pilot-plant was operated for four weeks at Mintek with a continuous countercurrent flow of cyanided pulp and strong-base resin. A decision was taken to convert the metallurgical plant from carbon-in-leach to RIP. This paper describes the Golden Jubilee story; a success story of entrepreneurial spirit in which a small mining company embraced new technology.

The resin-in-pulp (RIP) process was developed primarily for the recovery of metals from high volumes of low-grade pulps, as is the case in the gold processing industry. However, this technology can also be applied to the recovery of soluble metals from solid residues on base metal plants. Applications for the RIP process include the scavenging of valuable metals from leach and precipitation residues, especially where the solids have poor filterability of settling characteristics. The RIP process will improve overall plant recoveries, and it may be possible to decrease the filter duties of the degree of washing on the filters. In addition, the barren stream from the RIP operation may reduce any environmental impact significantly.^L^LBilliton Process Research (BPR) commissioned Mintek to investigate the metallurgical and economic feasibility of a resin-in-pulp process for the recovery of copper from bioleach counter-current decantation (CCD) underflows. Batch laboratory testwork and a continuous mini-plant campaign was conducted in order to optimise the process parameters. The results were used to conduct a preliminary sizing and costing study, in order to evaluate the economic viability of the RIP technology for this application.

Hydrometallurgy: Practice provides the necessary fundamental background to the multidisciplinary field of hydrometallurgy and provides the tools to be able to utilize the theory to quantitatively describe, model and control the unit operations used in hydrometallurgical plants. The book describes the development and operation of processes utilizing hydrometallurgical operations. It is a valuable resource and reference for researchers, academics, students and industry professionals. The book focuses on quantitative problem solving with many worked examples and focused problems based on Nicol's many years' experience in the teaching of hydrometallurgy to students, researchers and industry professionals. - Helps to master detailed chemistry and chemical engineering fundamentals required to fully engage in the field of hydrometallurgy - Provides a ready reference for the students, academic and practicing professionals when confronted by a particular problem or opportunity in hydrometallurgy - Features many worked problems and appropriate workshops providing the necessary skills to tackle quantitative problems in hydrometallurgy

Carbon-in-pulp (CIP) is the preferred method of gold recovery from cyanided pulp. However, the resin-in-pulp (RIP) process is considered to have several advantages for the recovery of gold. Mintek therefore undertook a research programme to develop a commercially-viable RIP process. The MINRIP RIP process and a novel gold-selective strong-base resin, Minix, were developed. An adsorption contactor was identified and successfully demonstrated at a scale of 100000 t/month. Continuous countercurrent tests using synthetic solutions show that the relative performance of the adsorbent depends on the composition of the solution. Minix resin yielded a higher gold loading than that of carbon, while maintaining an acceptable barren value. Batch tests on many gold-bearing materials indicated that Minix has potentially a higher capacity than carbon, and loads gold faster than carbon. An economic appraisal that consolidated the countercurrent results indicated that the capital and operating costs of the MINRIP process are considerably lower than these of CIP. The amount of cost advantage depends on the gold content of the feed and the throughput.