The desorption of gold from activated carbon is promoted by adding organic solvents to aqueous cyanide solutions. At 65-80 the elution of gold is fast and is not affected by water quality. The Micron Procedure involves pretreatment of the loaded carbon with NaCN/NaOH followed by elution with methanol vapour and condensate. Carbon is packed into a column above the distillation pot and acts as a fractionating column. Recovery of the methanol condensate leaves a methanol free concentrated gold solution and carbon containing < 200 gt-1 gold suitable for recycling._x000D_
Aqueous acetonitrile and ethanol are equally effective solvents and desorb gold from carbon slightly faster than methanol. Results of laboratory and pilot testwork using methanol, ethanol and acetonitrile are described.