Since 1972, Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) has specialized in cyanide metallurgy for the treatment of gold and silver ores. KCA tests over 100 different ores each year. In addition to cyanide testing, our Nevada laboratory conducts programs for copper and base metal leaching, solvent extraction, gravity concentration, and electrowinning.

We also provide environmental testing services:

• Environmental Audits
• Residual Cyanide Analysis
• Evaluation of the Behavior of Trace & Heavy Metals
• Determination of Acid/Base Potential of Ore and Waste
• Acidification/Volatilization/Reneutralization & Other CN Regeneration Tests
• Washing Studies to Remove Environmental Contaminants From Leached Ores

In late 1999, KCA acquired a well-established Reno analytical laboratory and has re-opened it as Florin Analytical Services. Florin is equipped for ICP multi-element analysis, fire assaying, carbon and sulfur analyses. Although Florin operates independently, it enhances KCA's metallurgical lab capabilities by giving us real-time access to process test results. For more on Florin, click here.

You are welcome to scroll through the photos below to get a feel for the services our laboratory can provide.

Click here to contact us.

KCA's laboratory facilities occupy 10,000 sq ft of KCA's headquarters building. Jim Defilippi, Assistant Lab Manager, is shown on the left and Rich Grondin, Manager of Florin Analytical Services, is on the right.

For large samples, preparation begins with crushing in a 9 x 15 inch jaw.

Sample preparation includes fine crushing, screening, and blending to prepare size-distributed samples for column leaching. Pulverized samples are prepared for assay.

The first step in determining metals recovery is to conduct chemical leaching tests on small samples.

The left hand photo shows bottle roll tests typically used for cyanide leaching of gold and silver ores. In the right hand photo, laboratory personnel are running a beaker-scale acid leach program for a copper ore.

For a typical heap leachable gold or copper ore, multiple small column tests are run at different crush sizes in columns up to 8 inches diameter, 8 feet high.

These outdoor columns, 4 feet diameter, can be extended to over 30 feet high.

KCA has a variety of tall columns, including indoor columns up to 24 inches diameter and 20 feet high.

KCA also has complete equipment for gravity testing of ores, including this spiral concentrator and wilfley table.

KCA has a complete range of flotation testing equipment from bench scale float cells to this 100 kg/hr skid mounted pilot unit complete with ballmill, thickeners and vacuum pan filters. The grinding and sizing portions of this pilot plant can be connected with the spiral or table concentrator to create a gravity-circuit pilot plant.

Capabilities also include pressure autoclave leaching and bioleaching. The left hand photo shows a Parr autoclave for chemically oxidizing sulfides. The right-hand photo shows multiple reactors for conditioning bacteria under different conditions to oxidize a high sulfide ore.

We hope the above photos give you an idea of the tools which we use at KCA to develop the flowsheet and to determine the process economics for your ore.

We are happy to discuss your project or your problems. Please contact our Lab Manager, Terry Albert.