Lixiviant

A lixiviant is a chemical used in hydrometallurgy to extract elements from its ore.^[1][2] One of the most famous lixiviants is cyanide, which is used in extracting 90% of mined gold. The combination of cyanide and air converts gold particles into a soluble salt. Once separated from the bulk gangue, the solution is processed in a series of steps to give the metal.^[3]

The origin is the word lixiviate, meaning to leach or to dissolve out, deriving from the Latin lixivium.^[4] A lixiviant assists in rapid and complete leaching, for example during in situ leaching. The metal can be recovered from it in a concentrated form after leaching.

• Laughlin, Robert B. (June 2009). "In Situ Leach (ISL) Mining of Uranium" (PDF). Introduction to the Physics of Energy PH240 - Fall 2010. Stanford University. Retrieved 2024-02-03.