Air Liquide is the leading supplier of Oxygen to SA’s Gold Mining Industry!

“More gold mining companies in South Africa use Air Liquide’s oxygen solutions and its proven ALDOC (Air Liquide Dissolved Oxygen Control) system, than any other products available,” says Kobus Durand, Air Liquide’s Metallurgy Manager.

“The response we’re getting is that Air Liquide’s ALDOC system is the generally preferred method of recovering gold in South Africa. We’ve designed and perfected the system here in SA and are currently using it in several African countries and a few other countries in the rest of the world such as Thailand and Canada.”

“Feedback from our clients, which include major players like Anglo Gold, Harmony, Rand Gold and DRD Group shows that the clear advantages of using the ALDOC system includes competitive pricing, world class quality and service, reduced cyanide consumption, improved kinetics, and much improved recoveries.”

“Our system is a complete package which includes the supply of the injection system; the monitoring of oxygen injection, with the continuous measurement of dissolved oxygen; the supply of oxygen and the associated expertise.” Kobus says. Air Liquide’s oxygen is also used in the treatment of effluent and pre-oxidation in the mining industry.

“The benefits are recognised by our customers as a revolutionary alternative to the old way of gold recovery which involved peroxide and the simple injection of compressed air. This process was extremely hazardous and detrimental to the environment. The Aldoc system is particularly environment friendly as part of its process includes the destruction of cyanide.”

Kobus says Air Liquide provides the mining industry with ALDOC technology and Shear Reactors on refractory sulphides, which assists with oxidisation. “The treatment of refractory sulphides with shear reactors allows sulphide oxidation to occur concurrently with the gold dissolution. Once the gold solution is separated from the oxidised mineral slurry, the dissolved gold can be recovered by adsorption onto active carbon, which is subsequently diluted with cyanide for the ultimate recovery of the gold. The system yields an improved gold recovery from the slurry”