Disc Stack Centrifuge in Gold Leaching PLS Clarification
Project Background
A gold processing plant in Sydney, Australia was facing a critical issue in its hydrometallurgical leaching circuit.
During the Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) stage, the process liquid contained fine suspended solids (<5%), which continuously affected downstream solvent extraction and electrowinning performance.
The plant was experiencing:
· Frequent fouling in downstream equipment
· Unstable extraction efficiency
· Increased maintenance downtime
· Higher operational cost due to poor clarification quality
The client urgently required a reliable, high-precision solid-liquid separation solution capable of handling acidic PLS conditions.
Pregnant Leach Solution:
Our Solution
We proposed and supplied our JXDC-410 Disc Stack Centrifuge, specially configured for corrosive hydrometallurgical applications.
Key configuration:
· Model: JXDC-410
· Material of wetted parts: SS316
· Treatment capacity: 2 m³/h
· Feed: acidic PLS (~10% acid content)
· Separation performance: down to ~1 μm fine solids removal
· Control system: Siemens PLC with Schneider electrical components
· Motor: ABB, 415V / 50Hz / 3-phase
· Fully automatic CIP cleaning system integrated
The system was designed for continuous, unattended operation, with automatic cleaning cycles controlled by PLC.
Performance & Results
After commissioning, the system immediately delivered stable and measurable improvements:
✔ Significantly improved PLS clarity
Fine suspended solids were efficiently removed, resulting in a much cleaner process stream entering downstream extraction units.
✔ Increased process stability
Downstream solvent extraction and electrowinning systems operated more consistently with reduced fouling incidents.
✔ Reduced maintenance downtime
Automatic CIP cleaning significantly reduced manual intervention and equipment shutdown frequency.
✔ Improved metal recovery efficiency
With a cleaner PLS feed, the overall recovery performance of the plant improved noticeably.
Customer Value
The JXDC-410 installation helped the plant achieve:
· Stable and continuous operation of the leaching circuit
· Lower operating and maintenance costs
· Reduced equipment scaling and blockage risk
· Improved overall plant efficiency and reliability
Conclusion
The JXDC-410 Disc Stack Centrifuge proved to be a highly effective solution for acidic gold leaching PLS clarification in harsh hydrometallurgical environments.
Its combination of:
· High separation efficiency
· Corrosion-resistant design
· Fully automatic operation
· Integrated CIP system
makes it ideal for modern mining and metallurgical applications requiring high reliability and low operating cost.