Behaviour of Au(I,III) cyanides on anion exchangers in the presence of Pd compounds

The behaviour of low concentrations of [Au(I)(CN)2]- and [Au(III)(CN)4]- in the presence of [Pd(NH3)4](NO3)2 when adsorbed by anionites has been studied with the aid of labelled Au compounds. The adsorption rate of Au decreased with increasing ageing of the feed solution, which was due to the conversion of gold cyanides into species not capable of being adsorbed. This conversion proceeded at a considerably lower rate when the cyanides of gold had been fixed on the ionite. Au(I) cyanides were always converted at a higher rate than Au(III) cyanides. Thus, an effective separation of Au cyanides by anionites is possible only in the Au(III) system. (author)