Project Overview
An Australian OEM specialising in mineral processing and separation equipment designs and manufactures electrowinning cells for gold recovery. These cells are used globally in gold processing plants as part of the final stage of metal extraction, where dissolved gold from the leach solution is recovered by electrolysis. The electrowinning process involves the flow of a corrosive, gold-bearing electrolyte through the cells, where an electric current causes the gold to deposit onto cathodes for collection.
To protect the stainless steel structure of these cells from aggressive chemical attack and ensure long-term performance, the OEM required a durable, chemically resistant rubber lining system suitable for the harsh operating environment.
Challenge
The electrolyte solutions used in electrowinning are highly corrosive and chemically active, typically containing cyanide and caustic components. Without adequate protection, the steel cells are quickly damaged by corrosion, leading to contamination, structural failure, and costly downtime.
The lining material had to meet several demanding requirements:
- Provide excellent resistance to chemical attack from cyanide-based solutions
- Offer low permeability to prevent solution absorption into the lining
- Be flexible and easy to install, ensuring full coverage over complex geometries
- Maintain a strong, reliable bond to the steel substrate under continuous immersion conditions
Solution: Butyline – Bromo-butyl based lining rubber with CN Bonding Layer utilized by OEM Rubber Lining team
Reglin supplied Butyline Rubber Lining, a bromo-butyl based compound specifically engineered for chemical processing and electrowinning applications. Butyline features a CN bonding layer, allowing for high adhesion strength when bonded with cold bonding adhesive systems. The compound’s low gas and liquid permeability and outstanding chemical resistance make it ideal for protecting steel equipment exposed to corrosive electrolytes.
The OEM’s in-house rubber lining team has used Butyline successfully for over 15 years, lining their electrowinning cells to a consistent high standard. The flexible nature of the compound allows easy application, ensuring full coverage over suitably prepared fabrication inlcuding weld seams, while its chemical inertness ensures long-term durability in service.
Results
The Butyline lining system has proven to deliver long-lasting protection for electrowinning cells in gold processing facilities across the world.
After years of continuous operation, the rubber linings have shown minimal degradation, maintaining their bond integrity and chemical resistance even under demanding process conditions.
This performance has established Butyline as the trusted choice for this OEM’s electrowinning cell design, helping to extend equipment service life, prevent corrosion, and reduce maintenance costs across global installations.
Conclusion
Reglin’s Butyline Bromo-Butyl Rubber Lining provides a reliable, long-term solution for protecting electrowinning cells used in gold mining and mineral processing. Its proven performance over more than a decade of use demonstrates the compound’s effectiveness in chemically aggressive environments, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective operation of critical gold recovery equipment.