The role of clusters noble metals as a source of ore substance in the formation deposits

Abstract

The paper contains the results and the basis for further works dealing with the increase in gold and other noble metals extraction from the so-called “refractory” ores. First of all it refers to the ores that contain ultrathin and nanosized gold and platinoids associated with highly carbonaceous ore-bearing complexes that determine considerable potential of noble metal mineralization in the form of large deposits including giants deposits. It is shown that unrecoverable nanosized gold represents a considerable, sometimes the greatest portion in the total balance of resource potential of ore objects. The concept of “cluster” gold is considered; the classification of the origin of cluster forms of metals is given; the hypothesis of their formation is proposed (bacterial, sorptive, cosmic). The experience of refractory ores investigation and methods of their processing is generalized; the potentialities and prospects of innovation approaches to the increase in noble metals extraction on the basis of transformation of cluster unrecoverable forms into recoverable “metallic” ones, by gravitational methods, for example, are shown. The principal potentiality of creation of self-assembling conditions for transformation of cluster gold into metallic one is shown. The examples of platinoids and other metals transformation are given.