System for heap irrigation for progressive refractory ore transformation in copper leaching

In a process for recovering copper from copper ore by heap leaching, solvent extraction and electrowinning, the improvement comprising:

• a system for unlocking copper from the copper ore, the system comprising:
• one or more agglomeration device(s) configured to contact crushed copper ore with agglomeration solution;
• a heap of copper ore;
• a process island comprising an agglomeration solution supply and first and second separate supplies containing respective separate agglomeration solution and first and second reactive liquid mixtures having respective different compositions;
• piping adapted to provide the agglomeration solution to the agglomeration device(s) and irrigate the separate reactive liquid mixtures onto the heap;
• an impermeable pad at the base of the heap from which copper-containing solution is withdrawn after contacting the heap with the first reactive liquid mixture;
• a separate oxidizing solution pond where the copper-containing solution withdrawn from the heap is held;
• piping providing fluid communication between the oxidizing solution pond and the process island;
• and
• piping providing raffinate solution from at least a raffinate pond collecting raffinate from the copper solvent extraction process to the process island.