The process mineralogy of gold: The classification of ore types

The principal gold minerals that affect the processing of gold ores are native gold, electrum, Au-Ag tellurides, aurostibite, maldonite, and auricupride. In addition, submicroscopic (solid solution) gold, principally in arsenopyrite and pyrite, is also important. The main causes of refractory gold ores are submicroscopic gold, the Au-Ag tellurides, and very fine-grained gold (<10 µm) locked in sulfides. Other types of problem gold ores include copper-gold ores and preg-robbing carbonaceous ores.