Solution mining using subterranean drilling techniques
AssigneeTronox Alkali Wyoming Corporation
InventorMichael Bestgen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of solution mining a subterranean mineral ore deposit such as trona ore in which a borehole is drilled from a subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation to connect a mineral ore bed to be solution mined, using subterranean drilling apparatus located proximate to the mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation. The mineral ore bed is isolated from the mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation by passage of the drilled borehole through an impermeable layer adjacent to the mineral ore bed to be solution mined. The mineral ore bed is then solution-mined using a mining solvent introduced into the mineral ore bed to solubilize the mineral and form a mining solution, and the resulting mining solution is withdrawn from the mineral ore bed.
Claims20
A method of solution mining a subterranean mineral ore deposit comprising connecting (i) an existing subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation and (ii) a mineral ore bed region to be solution mined, with a borehole drilled into the mineral ore bed region to be solution mined using subterranean drilling apparatus located proximate to the existing subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation;
- isolating the mineral ore bed region to be solution mined from the existing subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation by passage of the drilled borehole from the existing subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation through an insoluble impermeable layer adjacent to the mineral ore bed to be solution mined and then into the mineral ore bed region having solution mineral ore values to be solution mined to form an isolated mineral ore bed region so that mining solution is prevented from flowing back into the existing subterranean mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation;
- solution mining the isolated mineral ore bed region using a mining solvent introduced into the mineral ore bed region to be solution mined to solubilize the mineral and form a mining solution, wherein the mineral ore bed to be solution mined is the same mineral ore bed being worked by the mechanically-worked mineral ore mining operation;
- and
- withdrawing mining solution from the solution-mined mineral ore bed region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.