Four Common Problems and Solutions of the CIP Process

Carbon in pulp（CIP）is one of the methods of gold extraction by cyanidation. It is the process of gold cyanide for carbon adsorption after the cyanide leaching of gold-containing materials is completed. In actual production, most CIP plants will encounter various problems, which not only affect the normal operation of gold beneficiation, also seriously damage the economic benefits of CIP plants. This article will take you to know the four common problems and the corresponding solutions of CIP process. Let’s drive in now!

Blocked Carbon Screen

Reasons

Due to the excessive mass fraction of pulp, high-viscosity pulp, high density of carbon, or more impurities such as wood chips in the pulp, the carbon screen is often blocked, hindering the normal flow of the pulp, and causing running troughs and gold loss.

Solutions

1. One is to increase sawdust removal operations.
2. The second is to appropriately reduce the gold pulp mass fraction or carbon density.
3. The third is to appropriately increase the volume of low-pressure air to remove carbon deposits on the screen.
4. The fourth is to transform the carbon screen, adopt a horizontal cylindrical screen, one end of the screen is blocked, and the other end is softly connected to the discharge port. The upper part of the screen is exposed to the slurry surface and can produce small shaking with the agitation of the gold slurry. If necessary, you can manually strike the choke or install a small vibration motor on the screen to remove the blockage. Production practice in the CIP plants has proved that the screen is easy to operate and replace, and does not require air blowing, which reduces the wear of the screen.

Water in the Gearbox of the Leaching Tank Agitator

Reasons

The double-impeller low-speed energy-saving stirring tank used in most carbon pulp plants.Since the air enters the tank from the hollow shaft, many CIP processing palnts use nash compressor to supply air, so the incoming air often has some moisture, which will leak into the gearbox when entering the hollow shaft，accelerating the damage of the worm gear.

Solutions

1. Strengthen the seal at the inlet joint.
2. Choose a suitable gas-water separator for the vacuum compressor to improve the separation effect.
3. Change the inlet pipe of the leaching tank, and connect the inlet pipe directly to the bottom of the hollow shaft inlet to remove the hidden trouble completely.

Blockage of Lime Milk Pipeline

Reasons

Because the lime milk is very easy to scale, improper installation will often lead to blockage of the pipeline near the lime milk valve.

Solutions

The better installation method is to install the lime milk circulation line at a lower position, and the branch pipes to each operation point are first inclined upwards to the highest position of the control valve, and then inclined downward to flow into each operation point, forming a “herringbone” shape. When the dosing is stopped and the valve is closed, the lime milk in the branch pipe returns to the lime milk tank through the main pipe automatically, preventing pipeline blockage at the valve.

Emptying of Long Shaft Pump

Reasons

Due to the small size and light weight of the long shaft pump, it can be directly submerged in the slurry to work. It is not easy to be blocked and is easy to operate and maintain. In addition to its advantages of moderate lift and head, it is often used by CIP plants to transport the slurry. When the transported slurry has a high mass fraction and high density, due to its poor fluidity, ore deposits are likely to occur at the bottom of the tank, which affects the normal operation of the pump, and the phenomenon of emptying or even burying of the pump occurs.

Solutions

It is recommended that the main shaft of the pump be welded and lengthened from the top nut so that to extend it to the outside of the pump. Two blades are installed on the outside to form an impeller. When the main shaft rotates, the slurry will no longer produce the accumulation of ore.

To Wrap Up

The above introduces four common problems and solutions of the CIP process，but in the actual CIP process，the problems are various and complicated. Therefore, it is recommended that mine owners choose CIP process and equipment to consult with equipment manufacturers with the overall plant qualification, select the process suitable for the nature of ore, and fundamentally guarantee the production efficiency and economic efficiency of the entire concentrator.

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