Gold Mining and Carbon-in-Leach Processing in Jerritt Canyon

With a master of science in mineral processing from the University of Alberta, Kiedock Kim joined Veris Gold USA at Jerritt Canyon Mine in Nevada in 2013. As a mill manager, Kiedock Kim oversees gold milling operations and the processing of 5,000 total pounds of ore per day.

Since mining began in 1981, Jerritt Canyon has produced more than 7 million ounces of gold. Veris Gold USA continues mining operations on site, both open pit and underground, using a variety of methods. Among the circuits are dry grinding, fine ore drying, carbon reactivation, precipitate refining, and carbon stripping. Additionally, carbon-in-leach (CIL) with cyanidation and carbon adsorption is employed.

CIL uses activated carbon to adsorb gold. Leaching tanks hold the carbon and gold, giving it the environment necessary to dissolve and separate gold from ore. This process, called cyanidation, was first introduced in Scotland. Deemed a safer method of gold extraction, it reduces the need for liquid mercury. Milling, crushing, and gravity separation are commonly utilized alongside this method.