Aachen Technology2022-10-27T06:55:47+00:00

Aachen Technology

The Aachen reactor is a highly efficient mass transfer device developed out of the experience with Maelgwyn’s Imhoflot flotation technology. The unit can be used for any application where it is required to intimately mix gas with a liquid and has been found to be particularly suitable for gold leaching applications where it is required to boost the dissolved oxygen levels of slurry either prior to, or during the leach reaction.

Aachen reactors can be used to increase the leaching kinetics in gold and silver cyanidation resulting in significantly higher gold recoveries. The Aachen reactors can be used on most gold ore types including:

  • Oxides

  • Transitional material

  • Refractory ores – moderately to mildly refractory in nature

  • Gold tailings retreatment

Aachen High Shear Reactor

Dispersing and dissolving gasses in pulps and liquids

The Aachen HSR technology can be used in any application where it is required to intimately mix gas with a liquid and has been found to be particularly suitable for gold leaching applications where it is required to boost the dissolved oxygen levels of slurry either prior to, or during the leach reaction.

Historically, this was achieved by various types of lance arrangements and their derivatives. However, lances by their very nature tend to be very inefficient resulting in large oxygen bubbles and high oxygen consumptions. The second drawback of lance based systems is that they fail to address the problem of surface passivation from oxidised species which can retard the leach dissolution process.

The Aachen HSR technology in contrast is able to produce significantly higher dissolved oxygen levels whilst also introducing an element of shear to clean up mineral surfaces. The net benefits of this include:

  • Higher gold recoveries/lower residue grades
  • Accelerated leach kinetics
  • Reduced cyanide consumption
  • Improved oxygen utilisation
  • Increased tonnages without compromising recovery

The reactors are particularly suitable for the treatment of transitional material consisting of a mixture of oxide and sulphides where sulphide grades are too low and erratic for flotation but compromise leach efficiency and cyanide consumption.

Aachen Resources

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