US 4,045,084 AGranted

In-situ mining of copper and nickel

AssigneeKennecott Copper Corporation

InventorsLimin Hsueh, Robert A. Hard, Donald H. Davidson, Ray V. Huff

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Abstract

A process is disclosed for in-situ mining of copper from a subterranean ore body characterized, at least in part, by the presence of a sulfidic ore and by natural, microscopic fracture openings. The process comprises forcing a stable, two-phase lixiviant comprising an aqueous phase, a multiplicity of gaseous, oxygen-containing bubbles having a size sufficient to pass through the natural fracture openings in the ore body, and a surfactant for enhancing the formation of the bubbles and for minimizing bubble coalescence through the ore body to leach copper. The aqueous and gaseous phases of the lixiviant are mixed at the surface and injected into the leaching interval through an injection hole, or preferably, are mixed in a subterranean sparger within the hole above the leaching interval. The pregnant liquor is recovered through one or more production holes and, after the copper is recovered, the lixiviant may be reconstituted and recirculated.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A process for the in-situ mining of metal values selected from copper, nickel or mixtures thereof from a subterranean ore body characterized by natural microscopic fracture openings, a portion of said body being a sulfidic ore, said process being characterized by the steps of:

a. drilling at least one injection hole and at least one production hole communicating with said ore body;
b. forming a stable, two-phase lixiviant comprising
an aqueous phase,
a multiplicity of gaseous, oxygen containing bubbles having a size, when subjected to the pressure employed during in-situ mining, sufficient to pass through the fracture openings in said ore body, and
a surfactant for maintaining the size and individuality of said bubbles;
c. forcing the lixiviant formed in step (b), under pressure, through said ore body to cause the lixiviant to penetrate the ore body through the natural microscopic fracture openings, the oxygen in said lixiviant reacting with the sulfide in the ore to enable metal ions to be solubilized by said aqueous phase;
d. withdrawing the resultant metal bearing aqueous phase to the surface through said production hole;
and
e. recovering metal values from said aqueous phase.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.