Nonlinear effects of laser radiation and physical model of laser agglomeration process

Nonlinear effects of pulsed and continuous laser radiation on mineral samples from technogenic placers in the Amur river region, containing submicron gold which cannot be extracted by modern gravity separation methods, were studied. The formation of self-organized gold structures on the surface of silicate matrix was detected, and general relations for the agglomeration and concentration of “nonrecoverable” gold species were found. The agglomeration process was simulated by a nonlinear heat conduction equation for onedimensional case including laser radiation parameters.