Kinetic Studies of Gold Recovery from Diluted Chloride Aqueous Solutions Using Activated Carbon Organosorb 10 CO

The kinetic studies of gold(III) chloride complex ions recovery from acidic solution using activated carbon (AC) were carried out using spectrophotometry. AC samples were characterized in terms of surface area, porosity, and zeta potential. The surface functional groups were also identified. It was found that adsorption of AuCl4- onto AC was followed by reduction of the ions to the metallic form. The process obeyed the first order reaction model, but the reaction was controlled by diffusion. Arrhenius and Eyring-Polanyi equations were used for determination of the activation parameters. Distribution of gold across the AC pellets was also determined and discussed according to the porous material theory.