EP2931433A1

EP2931433A1 - Method and system for mining or extraction

Info

Publication number: EP2931433A1
Application number: EP13834395.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerben Hendrikus VAN ZUIDAM
Original assignee: Almas Invest Bv
Current assignee: Almas Invest Bv
Priority date: 2012-12-14
Filing date: 2013-12-16
Publication date: 2015-10-21
Also published as: NL2011971C2; NL2009989C2; WO2014092579A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for mining or extraction of materials from a substrate, comprising earth, rock or ore, the method comprising steps for: -charging the materials present in the substrate, preferably by applying a triboelectric charge, -applying an electrostatic force to the charged materials for inducing transport of the charged materials through the substrate, -preferably repeating the above steps in an alternating manner.

Description

ME THOD AND SYSTEM FOR MINING OR EXTRACTION

The present invention relates to a method for min^¬ ing or extraction, preferably of materials transportable under an electrically created force, preferably metals, such as noble metals, from a substrate, comprising earth, rock or ore. The invention furthermore relates to a system for mining or extraction of materials from a substrate, comprising earth, rock or ore.

According to the state of the art, it is possible to mine for materials using methods that are directed at removing the ore from the ore comprising sites, grinding the ore, and using any number of physical or chemical steps to further remove materials from ore.

Such systems are costly and cumbersome and devas^¬ tating to the environment or very costly underground. In light of these aspects, the present inventor has devised a method and system lacking the above indicated this ad^¬ vantages .

Therefore, the present invention is directed at a

Method for mining or extraction of materials transportable under an electrically created force, prefer^¬ ably of materials, more preferably of materials from a substrate, comprising earth, rock or ore, the method com- prising steps for:

- charging the materials present in the substrate, preferably by applying a triboelectric charge,

- applying an electric force, such as an electro^¬ static force, to the charged materials for inducing transport of the charged materials through the substrate,

- preferably repeating the above steps in an al^¬ ternating manner. One major advantage of the above method is that for removing the materials, the surrounding substrate does not require direct tampering of matter adjacent to materi^¬ al particles. By providing a charge to the materials pre- sent in the substrate, it is made possible to cause migra^¬ tion of such charged particles through the surrounding matter without directly needing to move such surrounding matter. The charge is preferably a triboelectric charge, generated by causing the substrate to vibrate, the mutual vibration of the material particles and the surrounding matter causing the material particles to become triboelec- trically charged.

Examples of materials are chemical elements such as chemical elements of the group of metals, such as cop- per, iron, uranium, titanium, vanadium, thorium, actinium, samarium, yttrium, indium and lanthanum; and/or lantha- nides, an actinides and/or main group metals. Also base, strategic, rare earth metals, and some of their salts, ox^¬ ides, hydroxides, concentrate. A first preferred embodi- ment according to the present invention provides steps for applying at least one antenna for providing a signal to the substrate that is suitable for providing the charge, preferably the triboelectric charge to the materials. The use of such antennae is very advantageous as it merely re- quires bringing the substrate in close contact or adjacen^¬ cy with the antenna. This may be achieved by simply ar^¬ ranging the antenna next to the substrate or by drilling a hole in the substrate and placing the antenna in the hole.

According to a second preferred embodiment, the signal comprises electromagnetic waves, preferably with a frequency in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz, further preferably in the range of 1 GHz to 6 GHz, further preferably in the range of 2 GHz to 3 GHz, further preferably in the range of 2.2 to 2.6 GHz. The electromagnetic waves have preferably a voltage amplitude of up to 100V, further preferably of up to 10V, further preferably up to IV. The electromagnetic waves have preferably a current amplitude of up to 10A, further preferably of up to 1A, further preferably up to 100mA.

Depending upon specific substrate and ore situa^¬ tions, within the disclosure of this document, the skilled person is readily able to use simple adjustment procedures without undue experimentation for individual substrate situations. Preferably, at least one frequency is used that is effective for influencing water, such as for heating thereof, such as around 2.4 GHz. In a further embodi^¬ ment, the electromagnetic waves are applied with wave po- larization, preferably vertically and or horizontally the antenna preferably being adapted to achieve such effect.

The power of the antenna is preferably within the range of 1 kW to 300 kW, preferably in a range of .5 kW to 10 kW, preferably in a range from 10 kW to 100 kW, prefer- ably in a range of 100 kW to 300 kW, or any subset defina^¬ ble within the outer limits of these ranges.

Furthermore, the antenna has a bar shape with a cylindrical cross-section, preferably an oval cross- section, preferably a square cross-section, further pref- erably a cross-section of a polygon.

Furthermore, the charging step is performed for a period of 1 second to 4 days, preferably between 10 sec^¬ onds to 10 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 20 min., preferably between 2 min. and 10 min., preferably between 2 min. and 5 min. such ranges allow for imparting the charge to a sufficient number of material particles in a substantial rate. Preferably, the triboelectric effect is applied by means of vibrating material particles in con^¬ tact with surrounding material of the substrate.

During the charging step, according to a further embodiment, at least a part of moisture that is present in substrate is transferred to steam.

Preferably, the electrostatic force is applied by contacting at least two electrodes with the soil and ap^¬ plying a signal between the electrodes that is suitable for inducing transport of the charged materials through the substrate.

According to a further preferred embodiment, Meth^¬ od according to any of the preceding claims comprising an additional step of raising the conductivity of the sub^¬ strate, preferably by means of a high voltage signal or flash signal, preferably in the range of 1000- 1,000,000, more preferably in the range of 1000- 100,000, further preferably in the range of 1000-50,000, further preferably in the range of 5000-25,000, further preferably in the range of 10,000, 20,000 Volt, preferably thereby creating.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the potential of the electrically induced force is between IV and 100 kV, preferably between 1 V and 10,000 V, prefera^¬ bly between 1 V and 1 kV, preferably between 1 V and 100 V, preferably between 1 V and 24 V preferably between 1 V and 12 V. According this further preferred embodiment, the induced current is between 1mA and 100A, preferably be^¬ tween 10mA and 50A, preferably between 100mA and 10A.

The electrodes are preferably constructed by means of a conductive material, such as graphite.

For obtaining a further improvement of migration of the materials, the signal on the electrodes is varia^¬ ble, preferably with respect to the magnitude of applied voltage and or preferably an alternating current, with a period between 1 second and 1 hour.

The duration of the step for applying an electrostatic force is according to a preferred embodiment be- tween 1 min. and 10 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 2 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 30 min., preferably between 1 min. and 15 min., preferably between 3 min. and 8 min., preferably between 4 min. and 6 min.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the method com- prises steps for drilling openings in the substrate for placing the at least one antenna or the at least two elec^¬ trodes .

Preferably, a space between an electrode and sur^¬ rounding ore is provided, the space being between 1/10 of a millimeter and 2 cm, preferably between one half of a millimeter and 1 cm, preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the drilling openings has a diameter between 1 cm and 30 cm, preferably between 1 cm and 10 cm, preferably between 1 cm and 5 cm, preferably between 2 cm and for centimeter, more preferably substantially 3 cm with a drilling depth of between 30 cm and 100 m, preferably between 1 m and 10 m, more pref^¬ erably between 2 m and 4 m, preferably substantially around 3 m.

A further step of the extraction method comprises comprising steps for removing materials from either electrode. This may be achieved by mechanical, physical or chemical methods.

A further embodiment is directed at a method com- prising steps in which multi barrel drilling systems are used, preferably dual barrel drilling systems, further preferably applying sonic drilling, preferably ultrasonic drilling. This is highly advantageous as this technique for drilling allows for very clean drilling well or holes, the advantage of which is good signal transfer between the antennae and the surrounding substrate or earth. A further advantage is that the drills are directly usable as the antennae itself and therefore also a collector for the yielded materials or metals.

Further preferably, any drill or barrel is direct^¬ ly applied as an electrode, preferably in which a 1^st or in a drill barrel is used for the charging step and or the conductivity racing step. This provides for better effi^¬ ciency as steps for removal of the drill and insertion of the electrode or antenna may be omitted.

Further preferably, any drill or barrel is provid^¬ ed with openings and or through holes. An advantage there- of is that the direction of signals is directable towards the part of the substrate to be treated with the signal resp. towards a counter electrode or antenna.

A further aspect according to the present invention is directed at a system for performing a method ac- cording to the above claims, the system comprising a control unit comprising:

- means for connecting to a power supply,

- generation means for generating a signal for charging materials present in a substrate,

- outputting means for outputting the signal for charging the materials,

- generation means for generating a signal for applying an electrostatic force to the charged materials,

- outputting means for outputting the signal for applying an electrostatic force to the materials.

Such a system provides advantages as indicated in the above description directed at the methods. According to a 1st preferred embodiment, the sys^¬ tem comprises at least one antenna for charging materials present in a substrate and at least 2 electrodes for ap^¬ plying an electrostatic force to the materials.

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the annexed drawings and based one or more preferred embodiments. The drawings show as follows. Simi^¬ lar, yet not necessarily identical parts of several pre- ferred embodiments are referred to with the same reference numerals .

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of two holes for holding electrodes for extraction of materials according to a preferred embodiment of the present inven- tion.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of a sys^¬ tem according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention .

Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of a meth- od placing and removing an electrode.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of an electrode .

Fig. 5 shows a top view of a mining pattern with the present invention.

A first preferred embodiment (Fig. 1-2) according to the present invention relates to a system for executing a method according to the present invention. The system comprises two electrodes 2, each with an integrated anten^¬ na 2 ' . An advantage of such integration is that the same element may be used as both an antenna and an electrode. In other embodiments, a separate antenna may be used, which may be especially optimized for the purpose of the antenna. An advantage of the combination in this embodi- ment is that it saves at least drilling of one hole per operation .

In this sense, an operation is intended to mean a cycle of method steps directed at extracting noble metals from a patch of substrate as indicated in the above. Such operation may require a series of repetitions of steps in which firstly, the noble metals are charged, thereof to secondly the noble metals are extracted by means of the electrodes. Charging and extraction may be performed sub- sequently and during the same time.

The boreholes are preferably cylindrical and a minimum of 2 is required. A number of electrodes may be used as well as a number of antennae. An arrangement of such elements may be chosen based on undue experimentation depending on circumstances of the substrate. A very rich substrate may require a smaller scale distance between electrodes, extending up to one or two meters in order to limit the gain of noble metals on the electrodes to a cer^¬ tain maximum indicated by the space in the openings around the electrodes, whereas a very lean substrate may require quite a distance between the electrodes, extending up to hundreds of meters in order to obtain any gain of noble metals on the electrodes. It is also possible to interrupt the method, extract the electrodes, remove the noble met- als from the electrodes, and reinserted the electrodes in^¬ to the openings of the substrate.

The control unit 3 preferably comprises a timer unit, a power unit for powering the antennae, and a power unit for powering the electrodes. Depending on the power and frequency to be applied to the antennae, the skilled person will adapt the power unit to be able to provide the relevant microwave energy. Depending on the signal to be provided to the electrodes, a suitable generator, such as a vandergraaf generator will be required.

A typical example of a substrate is a substrate comprising 2-25 g per cubic meter. For charging the noble metals, with the electrodes at a distance of for example 2 m, it is presently expected that 1 min. is required to ob^¬ tain a sufficient charge of the noble metals, where after the electrodes may be provided with the signal for 5 min.

It is presently anticipated that 50KV suffices for distances up to 200 meters, 2V for 2 meters, 12 V for 10 meter and 24 V for 30 meter.

A further preferred embodiment (Fig. 3) according to the present invention relates to a method for placing and removing an electrode.

In figure 3A an electrode 10 named a core barrel is inserted, preferably by means of sonic drilling, in a substrate 5 comprising soil, preferably holding a layer with ore 6, domestic or industrial dump material, or tail^¬ ing. The electrode 10 is inserted in the substrate using drilling preferably rotational and/or ultrasonic drilling. The electrode is moved during drilling in a direction A to insert the electrode in the substrate. The charging and transport of minable materials is possible with the pre^¬ sent invention with the electrode inserted in the layer with ore.

In figure 3B an outer barrel or overcasing 20 is placed over the electrode 10. The hollow drill is placed in the substrate using drilling preferably rotational and/or ultrasonic drilling. The hollow drill is moved dur- ing drilling in a direction A to place it over the electrode in the substrate preferably at the same depth as the electrode. It is provided that during drilling a drilling fluid is used to ease the force to move the drill in the direction of A during at least part of the drilling. The drilling fluid is preferably water and is preferably used for drilling through hard layers like rock.

In figure 3C the hollow drill is moved further over the electrode.

In figure 3D the hollow drill is at its end posi^¬ tion and the retraction of the electrode is started. The electrode is retracted in the direction of B. A space be^¬ tween the hollow drill and the electrode contains a re- trieved part of the substrate. Preferably the space is large enough to contain a substantial amount of the trans^¬ ported materials. Preferably the space is between 0.1cm and lm, by further preference between 0.5cm and 10cm, by further preference between 1cm and 2cm.

In figure 3E the retraction of the electrode pro^¬ gressed further. As a further preference the electrode and the hollow drill are retracted at the same pace.

A benefit of ultrasonic over rotational drilling is that the sides of the bore hole are not polished. A polished bore hole has a lower contact surface with an electrode placed in the bore hole which results in a lower conductivity which results in less transport of minable materials. A further preferred embodiment (Fig. 4) accord^¬ ing to the present invention is an electrode.

Figure 4A shows an elongated cylindrical electrode

2. The electrode is preferably perpendicular to the sur^¬ faced of the substrate placed in the substrate. The elec^¬ trode comprises a front side 41 and a back side 43. The front side comprises holes 40. The barrels emit the radio waves for charging the minable materials by the triboelec- trical effect. The openings are preferably faced in the direction of the second electrode for charging the minable materials preferably between the electrodes. The holes have preferably a size like a diameter equal to a quarter of the multiple of the radio signal frequency used by the triboelectrical effect. By prefer^¬ ence a frequency of the emitted radio waves is around 2.4GHz. A quarter wavelength of the frequency is preferably 31,25mm in vacuum. Due to a lower propagation speed of the radio wave in a substrate, the quarter wavelength may be longer than 31.25mm.

Figure 4B shows an elongated cylindrical electrode 2 after the present mining method is applied. The elec^¬ trode shows multiple areas 42 with minable materials de^¬ posited on the electrode.

A further preferred embodiment (Fig. 5) according to the present invention relates to a method of mining. This method is improves mining efficiency. Figure 5 shows a top view of this mining pattern.

Before the step of harvesting, the earth is pref^¬ erably subjected to a high voltage flash from the barrel, preferably the outer barrel, but the inner barrel may be used before the outer is lowered. This flash creates lower resistance by creating or recreating p-n or n-p bridges or tunnels between crystals or particles in the earth. Espe^¬ cially man handled substrates are subject to the positive effect of this procedure and will yield high reductions in resistance. The flash is preferably characterized by a block wave of direct current. The flash is preferably en^¬ visaged to recreate natural diodes in the substrate. An alternating current is under testing. During the harvesting phase, this flashing step allows for a raise in the through put current. During testing, the harvesting current was raised from 20 mA to 2,5 A over a distance of 1,2 meter. Therefore, it is envisaged to raise the harvesting or transport current by 10-1000 times, preferably 10-500 times, further preferably 1-200 times.

Shown are a first electrode 61 preferably a cath^¬ ode and a second electrode 62 preferably an anode placed at a first location 63, where both electrodes are placed some distance from each other. The electrodes are used to transport and preferably also to charge the minable mate^¬ rials. An electrical field transports the charged materi^¬ als in the direction of A.

After some time the second electrode is retrieved from the first location 63 and repositioned to a second location 63' . Preferably the minable materials are re^¬ charged before transport of the minable materials in the direction of B.

After some time the second electrode is retrieved from the second location 63' and repositioned to a third location 63' ' . Preferably the minable materials are re^¬ charged before transport of the minable materials in the direction of C.

The process of retrieving and repositioning the second electrode is repeated preferably up until a com^¬ plete circular pattern around the first electrode is formed .

A yield example is e.g. Substrate contents 5 gram gold per M delivers a production on daily bases of 576 gram. Three exemplary embodiments of antenna uses are in^¬ troduced :

1. the distance between the antennae is 20 meter, length of the barrel 2,4 meter and the width of the mate- rial to be processed 2,4 meter (1,2 to the right and 1,2 to the left from the antenna) .

2. distance between antenna 75 meter. Other distances remain the same as in point 1. 3. distance between antennae 200 meter. Other distances remain the same as point 1.

In such examples, the core barrel, dual wall and single is provided. A side discharge or front discharge can be used for the system to adjust the emitted HF orien^¬ tation. The core barrel for our system can be applied as antenna and simultaneously as collector (electrode) . The core barrel over casing for he can be applied as a bridge maker. Flush or muddy puffy is envisaged as catalyst source.

Herebelow, some test results are provided of the mixture of metals adhered to the electrodes after harvest^¬ ing in a per test differently composed substrate or soil.

Test 1; Sm 0,78 %

K 0,80 % ; Gd 1,56 %

Ca 61,24 %; Cu 0,48 %

Ti 0,88 % ; 35 As 0, 12 %

Mn 0,43 %; Pb 0,51 %

Fe 32,96 %; Ac 0, 15 %

Cu 1,08 %;

Zn 0,22 %; Test 3;

As 1,47 %; 40 Ni 0, 66 %

Sr 0,67 %; Fe 0, 57 %

Y 0,04 %; Cu 96, 04%

Pb 0,20 %; Pb 0,24 %

Ac 0, 01 % Ag 2,48 %

45

Test 2; Test 4;

Mn 0,42 %; Cu 98, 15%

Fe 94,72 %; Ag 1,45 % La 1,26 %;

In the above, the present invention is described with reference to one or more preferred embodiments. Sev- eral aspects of several distinct preferred embodiments are described in the above. Furthermore, the features of dis^¬ tinct embodiments are deemed described in combination with each other in order to provide a description of all combi- nations that are considerable within the scope of this de^¬ scription by an expert of the field. The above disclosure these preferred embodiments are not limiting to the scope of protection of this document. The rights sought are de^¬ termined in the annexed claims.

Claims

1. Method for mining or extraction of materials transportable under an electrically created force, prefer^¬ ably of metals, more preferably of noble metals from a substrate, comprising earth, rock or ore, the method com^¬ prising steps for:

- charging the metals present in the substrate, preferably by applying a triboelectric charge,

- applying an electric force, such as an electro- static force, to the materials for inducing transport of the materials through the substrate,

- preferably repeating the above steps in an al^¬ ternating manner.

2. Method according to claim 1 comprising steps for applying at least one antenna for providing a signal to the substrate that is suitable for providing the charge, preferably the triboelectric charge to the materi^¬ als .

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2 in which the signal comprises electromagnetic waves, preferably in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz, further preferably in the range of 1 GHz to 6 GHz, further preferably in the range of 2 GHz to 3 GHz, further preferably in the range of 2.2 to 2.6 GHz.

4. Method according to claim 3, in which the electromagnetic waves are applied to with wave polarization, preferably vertically and or horizontally.

5. Method according to claim 2, 3 or 4, in which the power of the antenna is within the range of 1 kW to 300 kW, preferably in a range of 5 kW to 10 kW, preferably in a range from 10 kW to 100 kW, preferably in a range of 100 kW to 300 kW, or any subset definable within the outer limits of these ranges.

6. Method according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, in which the antenna has a bar shaped with a cylindrical cross-section, preferably an oval cross-section, preferably a square cross-section, further preferably a cross- section of a polygon.

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims comprising an additional step of raising the conductivity of the substrate, preferably by means of a high voltage signal or flash signal, preferably in the range of 1000- 1,000,000, more preferably in the range of 1000- 100,000, further preferably in the range of 1000-50,000, further preferably in the range of 5000-25,000, further preferably in the range of 10,000, 20,000 Volt.

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which the charging step is performed for a pe^¬ riod of 10 seconds to 10 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 20 min., preferably between 2 min. and 10 min., preferably between 2 min. and 5 min.

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which the triboelectric effect is applied by means of vibrating material particles in contact with sur- rounding material of the substrate.

10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which during the charging step, at least a part of moisture that is present in substrate is transferred to steam.

11. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which the electrostatic force is applied by contacting at least two electrodes with the soil and ap^¬ plying a signal between the electrodes that is suitable for inducing transport of the charged materials through the substrate.

12. Method according to claim 1 or 10, in which the potential of the electrostatic force is between one V and 100 kV, preferably between 1 V and 10,000 V, prefera^¬ bly between 1 V and 1 kV, preferably between 1 V and 100 V, preferably between 1 V and 24 V preferably between 1 V and 12 V.

13. Methods according to claim 1, 11 or 12 in which the electrodes are from a conductive material, such as graphite.

14. Method according to claim 1, 11-13, in which the signal on the electrodes is variable, preferably with respect to the magnitude of applied voltage and or prefer- ably an alternating current, with a period between 1 second and 1 hour .

15. Method according to claim 1, 11-14 in which the duration of the step for applying an electrostatic force is between 1 min. and 10 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 2 hours, preferably between 1 min. and 30 min., preferably between 1 min. and 15 min., preferably between 3 min. and 8 min., preferably between 4 min. and 6 min.

16. Method according to one or more of the above claims, comprising steps for drilling openings in the sub^¬ strate for placing the at least one antenna or the at least two electrodes.

17. Method according to one or more of the above claims, in which a space between an electrode and sur^¬ rounding ore is provided, the space being between 1/10 of a millimeter and 2 cm, preferably between one half of a millimeter and 1 cm, preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm.

18. Method according to the previous claim, in which the drilling openings has a diameter between 1 cm and 30 cm, preferably between 1 cm and 10 cm, preferably between 1 cm and 5 cm, preferably between 2 cm and 4 centimeter, more preferably substantially 3 cm with a drill^¬ ing depth of between 30 cm and 100 m, preferably between 1 m and 10 m, more preferably between 2 m and 4 m, prefera- bly substantially around 3 m.

19. Method according to any of the previous claims, comprising steps for removing materials from either electrode.

20. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which multi barrel drilling systems are used, preferably dual barrel drilling systems, further prefera^¬ bly applying sonic drilling, preferably ultrasonic drill- ing.

21. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which any drill or barrel is directly applied as an electrode, preferably in which a 1st or in a drill barrel is used for the charging step and or the conductiv^¬ ity racing step.

22. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which any drill or barrel is provided with openings and or through holes.

23. System for performing a method according to the above claims, the system comprising a control unit comprising :

- means for connecting to a power supply,

- outputting means for outputting the signal for charging the materials,

24. System according to claim 23, comprising at least one antenna for charging materials present in a sub strate and at least 2 electrodes for applying an electro^¬ static force to the materials.