Estudio para determinar el uso de la sida rhombifolia en la separación y extracción del oro aluvial en la minería artesanal

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the use of arrowleaf sida (Sida rhombifolia) in an artisanal mining, where they use a tray to separate and extract the alluvial gold, through the flotation foam method in Alshi/9 Octubre civil parish, belonging to Morona canton. At first, the vegetal sample and alluvial gold were collected to extract the mucilage of the arrowleaf sida and also to create the alluvial gold characterization; afterwards, physicochemical parameters of the plant and the mucilage were analyzed through tests in the laboratory; then a foaming solution was produced from distilled water, liquid soap and the arrowleaf sida mucilage; consecutively, it was elaborated in a cell like artisanal flash made of a PVC pipe 13 centimeters diameter and 60 centimeters high, which was adapted to a recycled screw; immediately, it was located a gold sample and the foaming solution in the cell by manually shacking it until manage to remove the alluvial golden sample through the flotation foam. Starting from the information gathered, it was conducted a statistical analysis using the software Minitab. As a result, in the physical chemical parameters of the plant, it was obtained: humidity percentage 76.25%, bulk density 0,48 grams per milliliter, a water retention volume: pH 4= 0,34; pH 7=5,29 and pH 10= 6,27 water grams per sample grams, soluble solid percentage 25%, pH 7,01, specific gravity 1,010 grams per cubic centimeters, ash percentage 2,95%. 30% of the alluvial gold was recovered as per several factors among which the size of the golden particle. In conclusion, to implement this strategy based on this specific methodology in order to recover the alluvial gold, it is necessary that the golden particles would be less than 18 cm. It is recommended to implement this investigation in tailings.