YPT CIL Tanks

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Gold Recovery Redefined with Efficient Adsorption Technology

YPT CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) Tanks

In the CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) process, the leaching of gold (via cyanide, oxygen, lime etc.) and the adsorption of dissolved gold onto activated carbon occur simultaneously in the same tanks.
The tanks are large agitated vessels filled with slurry (ground ore + water + reagents), and activated carbon is added so that gold dissolution and adsorption happen in one continuous step.
The “CIL Tank” thus refers to each of the reaction/adsorption vessels in the series that forms the CIL circuit.

Areas of Application

  • Gold processing plants featuring cyanidation of oxide or free-milling ores where carbon adsorption is integrated (CIL) rather than being a separate stage (CIP).
  • Situations where native carbon (organics) or preg-robbing minerals are present and added carbon must capture gold immediately.
  • Plants desiring higher recoveries and fewer process steps by combining leach and adsorption.

Principle of Operation

  • Feed introduction:

    Ground ore slurry is introduced into the first leach-adsorption tank.

  • Reagent addition & mixing:

    Cyanide, oxygen (or air), lime (to maintain pH) and other reagents are added. An agitator and/or aeration keep solids in suspension, ensuring good contact.

  • Carbon addition: :

    Activated carbon is added early (often in first tank or second) and remains suspended through the tank series, adsorbing gold as it dissolves.

  • Series of tanks:

    The slurry moves through multiple tanks in series so that reaction and adsorption are completed before discharge or transfer. Short-circuiting is minimised.

  • Carbon removal:

    Gold-loaded carbon is removed (via screening, launder, or carbon counters) and sent for elution/stripping. The remaining slurry moves on (to thickener/tailings).

Optimized Carbon Retention for Maximum Yield

YPT CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) Tanks Highlights

Efficient, Scalable Carbon Management Technology

Design Criteria

Tank count and
series length

Usually 4–8 tanks in series to minimise short-circuiting and provide adequate residence time.

Agitation and mixing

Critical to keep solids, reagents, carbon in suspension; poorly mixed zones reduce recovery.

Slurry density
(% solids),
retention time:

These must be balanced for both dissolution kinetics and carbon adsorption kinetics.

Carbon retention
and screens

Tanks incorporate carbon screens or classifiers to retain carbon and avoid losses to tailings

Hydraulics and
overflow control

Proper tank design to manage slurry flow, weirs, launders, and inter-tank transfer.

Materials
of construction &
corrosion/abrasion design

Tanks must handle cyanide, high pH, oxygenation, slurry abrasion over long life.

Technical Specifications

Here are typical guideline values (subject to site test work and design):

Number of tanks:

4–8in series

Slurry density:

40-50 % solids Common in gold adsorption circuits

Solution flow rate through column:

Variable; designed per plant tonnagevaries widely

Retention time

~12–24 hours for many gold CIL circuits.

Carbon addition:

~10–15 g/L in some circuits

Tank volume:

tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of cubic metres depending on throughput.

Agitation/mixing power:

varies based on volume and solids load Based on fluid chemistry

Carbon screens:

slot size optimized for carbon beadsscreen retention efficiency high

Important Considerations:

  • The balance between leach kinetics and adsorption kinetics determines tank sizing; dimensioning must consider both.
  • Carbon attrition and fines generation in the tank can lead to carbon loss and gold in tailings; screen integrity is critical.
  • Short-circuiting (insufficient number of tanks or poor hydraulics) can reduce recovery significantly.
  • Carbon inventory and movement between tanks (carbon mass balance) is as important as slurry flow design.
  • Maintenance of agitator systems and avoiding dead zones dramatically impacts recovery and cost.