ORE TREATMENT

NAP.Mineração/USP develops suitable process routes for the treatment of ores in the areas selected for pilot operations. To achieve this goal, a specific effort is made to encourage and publicize the benefits of sustainable mineral recovery techniques adapted for small-scale mining.

Mineral handling is a fundamental aspect of mining and is one of the critical success factors in its evolution to responsible operations. The lack of technical assistance in mining areas is the main cause of the precarious working and living conditions of these communities. In general, garimpeiros copy the processes of their neighbors without questioning adequacy, impacts and efficiency. Due to this lack of planning for the adequacy of production processes, only 25% of the gold present in the deposits is recovered by the miners, usually through rudimentary gravimetric processes or using various forms of amalgamation with mercury.

Sustainable and efficient techniques for recovering gold and other minerals already exist. The biggest challenge for the treatment of ores is to adapt such processes (such as intensive cyanidation of gravimetric concentrates or flotation) for small scale production, and to encourage and publicize the benefits of adapting these alternatives, eliminating the use of mercury in recovery of gold.