Applicability of case-based reasoning for selection of cyanide-free gold leaching methods

Abstract

Designing hydrometallurgical experimental work, not to mention entire processes, is a complex task involving various ore properties and their combined effects on the available treatment methods. Gold leaching is one hydrometallurgical process, cyanide being the predominantly utilized leaching agent since late 1800s. Case-based reasoning (CBR) has previously been applied for selecting established process chains for a given gold ore, but with this paper, we are taking this previous research of gold processing towards cyanide-free leaching methods that are currently in development stage and not yet industrially applied. The utilization of CBR for cyanide-fee gold extraction experiment design is tested by building a preliminary CBR knowledge model to recommend treatments for gold extraction. Publications on cyanide-free leaching were analyzed and metallurgical researchers were interviewed in order to define the necessary attributes and their value ranges to be included in the model. We report the challenges encountered while building the CBR knowledge model, discuss its functionality and make suggestions for future research on the topic.