The Phase I electrowinning system at KCGM's Fimiston Operation
utilised the well proven technology of electrowinning precious metal
values onto steel wool followed by calcining and direct smelting to
bullion. The above process, while reliable and successful, was to some
extent labour intensive. The Williams Mine in Ontario, Canada had
published conditions under which precious metal values are electrowon
onto woven stainless steel and directly removed using high pressure
sprays. The current paper describes the testwork which was carried out to
check the applicability of the Williams criteria to KCGM eluates arising
from the elution of highly loaded carbon from the calcine circuit and
lowly loaded carbon from the float tails circuit. Information is also given on the commissioning and operational
experience which occurred.