US20220003100A1 - Method and facility for operating an in-situ leach mine - Google Patents
Method and facility for operating an in-situ leach mine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20220003100A1 US20220003100A1 US17/294,024 US201917294024A US2022003100A1 US 20220003100 A1 US20220003100 A1 US 20220003100A1 US 201917294024 A US201917294024 A US 201917294024A US 2022003100 A1 US2022003100 A1 US 2022003100A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- leachate
- recycled
- cell
- block
- production
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 22
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 43
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 81
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 claims description 54
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 claims description 42
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 claims description 42
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 claims description 33
- 238000004064 recycling Methods 0.000 claims description 23
- 238000002386 leaching Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000011017 operating method Methods 0.000 abstract description 10
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 52
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 15
- 238000005065 mining Methods 0.000 description 14
- 239000002253 acid Substances 0.000 description 13
- 239000003456 ion exchange resin Substances 0.000 description 8
- 229920003303 ion-exchange polymer Polymers 0.000 description 8
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 8
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 8
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 6
- 229910052770 Uranium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 230000020477 pH reduction Effects 0.000 description 5
- JFALSRSLKYAFGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N uranium(0) Chemical compound [U] JFALSRSLKYAFGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000003153 chemical reaction reagent Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 4
- 206010011906 Death Diseases 0.000 description 3
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfuric acid Chemical compound OS(O)(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000004090 dissolution Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000002366 mineral element Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 3
- CDBYLPFSWZWCQE-UHFFFAOYSA-L Sodium Carbonate Chemical compound [Na+].[Na+].[O-]C([O-])=O CDBYLPFSWZWCQE-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 2
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000003673 groundwater Substances 0.000 description 2
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- UIIMBOGNXHQVGW-DEQYMQKBSA-M Sodium bicarbonate-14C Chemical compound [Na+].O[14C]([O-])=O UIIMBOGNXHQVGW-DEQYMQKBSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 239000012670 alkaline solution Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012937 correction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007547 defect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052500 inorganic mineral Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011707 mineral Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000010755 mineral Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000005457 optimization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001556 precipitation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000750 progressive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005067 remediation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009738 saturating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910000029 sodium carbonate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000000638 solvent extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004381 surface treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003643 water by type Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/28—Dissolving minerals other than hydrocarbons, e.g. by an alkaline or acid leaching agent
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
- E21B43/40—Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Extraction Or Liquid Replacement (AREA)
Abstract
An operating method for an in situ leach mine comprises a routine phase implemented at the end of life of a block (3) of cells (5) of the mine, including collecting the leachate produced by at least one cell being recycled (5) in the block (3), the leachate forming the recycled leachate; and injecting the recycled leachate into at least one cell (5) of said block (3).
Description
- The present disclosure relates in general to the operation of a mine by in-situ leaching, particularly the operation of a uranium mine.
- In-situ leaching of a chemical component, also called “In-situ Leaching” or the ISL method, is a mining method that consists of:
-
- establishing a circulation of a leaching solution in the base of the deposit capable of selectively dissolving the chemical component to be mined;
- pumping the leached solution loaded with the desired mineral element to surface treatment facilities, where the valuable mineral element is separated and concentrated into a marketable product;
- recycling the leaching solution to the deposit, after reconditioning.
- The ISL method is particularly applied to low-grade uranium, copper or gold deposits. It has the advantage that the selective dissolution of the mineral element from its gangue is done without physically moving the mineral and without significantly modifying the host rock (generally a sandy and porous medium).
- For uranium, depending on the composition of the gangue, the solution injected to dissolve the chemical component is, for example, an alkaline solution of sodium carbonate or bicarbonate, which allows for a progressive and fairly selective dissolution. In a variant, the leach liquor is an acid solution, usually sulfuric, for a more aggressive and faster but less selective dissolution.
- The leaching solution, also called the leach liquor, is injected under pressure into the permeable horizon containing the chemical component, through a network of injector wells that descend to the permeable horizon. In this way, the leaching solution is brought into contact with the chemical component to be dissolved.
- A second network of wells, called producer wells, inserted in above network, pumps the mineralized leaching solution and sends it to the plant installed on the surface. A conventional treatment allows for extraction of the chemical component in the liquid phase.
- After treatment, the leaching power of the solution is regenerated so that it can be re-injected as a leach liquor into the injector well network a large number of times, for example between ten and more than fifty times.
- The mine is typically divided into blocks, with each block having a plurality of production cells served by a single mining facility.
- At the end of their life, the cells are mined until the concentration of the chemical component in the extracted leachate reaches a minimum cut-off value or the tonnage produced on a block or multi-cell basis is no longer sufficient to complete the desired annual production under economically viable conditions (production constraint and hydraulic capacity constraint of the existing systems).
- Such an approach has the shortcoming that significant reserves of the chemical component can be left in the ground and are not extracted.
- In this context, an operating method and an operating facility that do not have the above defect are provided.
- A method is provided for operating an in-situ leach mine of at least one chemical component, the mine comprising a plurality of production cells, each equipped with at least one injection well configured for injection of a leach liquor into said cell and at least one production well configured for collecting a leachate containing the at least one chemical component moving upwards from said cell, the method comprising, when a block of cells is at the end of its life, a routine phase during which the following operations are carried out:
-
- collecting the leachate produced by at least one cell being recycled in said block, the leachate forming the recycled leachate;
- injecting the recycled leachate into at least one cell of said block.
- Thus, the leachate produced by the cells being recycled is not directed to the treatment plant for separation of the chemical component. Instead, it is recycled directly into one or more cells of the block.
- This first has the effect of partially or totally reducing the flow of leachate from the block to the treatment plant. The solutions sent to the treatment plant are more charged than in the state of the art, which enables optimization of the use of the transfer networks to the treatment plant. In addition, this treatment plant treats more concentrated leachates, so that the specific consumption of chemical reagents is lower.
- As a result, it becomes cost-effective to continue operating the cells even if the chemical component concentration in the leachate decreases below the usual cut-off threshold or annual production targets. Thus, more of the chemical component can be recovered from the cells, which increases the profitability of the operation.
- The method of the present disclosure is scalable for the area mined it is incorporated early in the design of the mining facility. It has a significant effect on the capacity of the infrastructure to be built.
- Typically, 50% of the production blocks in an ISL mine are at the end of their life, producing leachate having a content of the said chemical component of about 60% of the average content of the other production blocks. The end-of-life blocks provide about 30 to 40% of the total throughput. The method of the present disclosure is applied to half of the end-of-life blocks, for example, and results in a reduction in managed throughput of about 20%. This results in a significant reduction in the capacity required for the transport and treatment facilities.
- The method further comprises one or more of the following features, considered alone or according to all technically possible combinations:
-
- the method comprises a treatment operation of the recycled leachate before the injection operation, for example by acidification of the recycled leachate;
- said routine phase comprises an operation of collecting the leachate produced by at least one production cell of said block and of transferring the leachate to a treatment plant, said leachate forming the transferred leachate, the at least one chemical component being separated from the leachate transferred to the treatment plant;
- during the injection operation, the recycled leachate is injected into the at least one production cell;
- during said routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the cell being recycled concomitantly with the collection of the recycled leachate;
- during said routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the production cells concomitantly with the collection of the transferred leachate;
- at the end of said routine phase, the operation of the at least one cell being recycled is stopped, and a new phase starts:
- the at least one cell into which the recycled leachate is injected in the said routine phase becomes the at least one cell being recycled during the new phase;
- the leachate recycled during the new phase being injected into at least one new cell of said block;
- the block of cells is traversed by an underground flow flowing in a determined direction, the operation of the cells of the block being progressively stopped according to said direction of underground flow;
- said routine phase comprises a separation operation during which a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component is separated from the recycled leachate;
- the concentrated phase is stored in-situ for a determined period of time and then transferred to a treatment plant, the at least one chemical component being separated from the concentrated phase in the treatment plant;
- all the cells of the block are recycled and the recycled leachate is reinjected into all the cells of the block.
- A facility is also provided for operating an in-situ leach mine of at least one chemical component, the mine comprising at least one block having a plurality of cells, the operating facility comprising:
-
- for each cell of said block, at least one injection well configured for the injection of leach liquor into said cell;
- for each cell of said block, at least one production well configured to collect a leachate containing the at least one chemical component moving upwards from said cell; and
- a recycle manifold;
- a plurality of collection pipes, each fluidly connecting one of the production wells to the recycle manifold, each collection pipe being equipped with a collection cut-off device capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of collected leachate in the corresponding collection pipe;
- an injection well supply assembly configured to selectively place the recycle manifold in fluid communication with one or more of the injection wells.
- The facility may further comprise one or more of the following features, considered alone or according to all technically possible combinations:
-
- the operating facility comprises a unit for treating the recycled leachate before injection into the or each injection well, for example by acidifying the recycled leachate;
- the operating facility comprises:
- a production manifold adapted to be connected to a treatment plant, the at least one chemical component being separated from the leachate in the treatment plant;
- a plurality of production pipes, each fluidly connecting one of the production wells to the production manifold, each production pipe being equipped with a production cut-off device capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of leachate in the corresponding production pipe;
- the operating facility comprises a separation module arranged upstream of the injection well supply assembly and configured to separate a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component of the recycled leachate;
- the operating facility comprises in-situ storage of the concentrated phase, and a module for transferring the concentrated phase from the separation module to a treatment plant, with the at least one chemical component being separated from the concentrated phase in the treatment plant;
- the supply assembly comprises:
- a plurality of recycle pipes, each fluidly connecting the recycle manifold to one of the supply wells, each recycle pipe being equipped with a recycle cut-off device capable of selectively allowing or preventing flow through the corresponding recycle pipe;
- the supply assembly comprises:
- a supply manifold, intended to be connected to a leach liquor supply unit;
- a plurality of supply pipes, each fluidly connecting the supply manifold to one of the supply wells, each supply pipe being equipped with a supply cut-off device capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation in the corresponding supply pipe.
- Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the detailed description given below, by way of indication and not in any way limiting, with reference to the appended figures, among which:
-
FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic representation the operation of an in-situ leach mining facility according to the present disclosure; -
FIG. 2 is a view similar to that ofFIG. 1 , when this mining facility is operated according to a first embodiment of the operating method of the present disclosure; and -
FIG. 3 is a view similar to that ofFIG. 1 , when the operating facility is operated according to a second embodiment of the method of the present disclosure. - The
facility 1 shown inFIG. 1 is intended for the operation of a mine by in-situ leaching, particularly the operation of a uranium mine. - As illustrated in
FIG. 1 , the mine comprises at least oneblock 3 having a plurality ofcells 5. - The
operating facility 1 comprises: -
- for each
cell 5 of theblock 3, at least one injection well 7, configured to inject a leach liquor into saidcell 5; - for each
cell 5 of saidblock 3, at least oneproduction well 9, configured to take a leachate containing the at least one chemical component moving upwards from saidcell 5.
- for each
- Typically, the
injection wells 7 are arranged in a determined, generally regular mesh, each mesh defining one of the cells. - For example, the
injection wells 7 are arranged in a square mesh, with the production well serving the corresponding cell placed in the center of the square. Theinjection wells 7 are generally spaced from fifteen to fifty meters apart, the distance between an injection well and a production well being between eleven and thirty-three meters. - The term block is used here to refer to all the cells served by the same operating facility. In other words, the block corresponds to all the cells that can be served from the same manifolds.
- In
FIG. 1 , only three cells have been shown. However, the block typically has a higher number of cells. Theblock 3 typically comprises about 15 cells, with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 24. - The
operating facility 1 comprises arecycle manifold 11 and a plurality ofcollection pipes 13 each fluidly connecting one of theproduction wells 9 to therecycle manifold 11. - Each
collection pipe 13 is equipped with a collection cut-offdevice 15, capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of leachate collected in thecorresponding collection pipe 13. - In the present description, all the cut-off devices are preferably valves. In a variant, the cut-off devices are of any other suitable type.
- In the present description, a cut-off device is said to be open when it authorizes the circulation of fluid in the corresponding pipe. A cut-off device is said to be closed when it prohibits the circulation of fluid in the corresponding pipe.
- Thus, the facility comprises as
many collection ducts 13 asproduction wells 9. - The
facility 1 also comprises aproduction manifold 17, adapted to be connected to atreatment plant 19. As mentioned above, in the treatment plant, the chemical component of interest is separated from the leachate, so as to produce a marketable product. - The
facility 1 further comprises a plurality ofproduction pipes 21, each fluidly connecting one of theproduction wells 9 to theproduction manifold 17. - Each
production pipe 21 is equipped with a production cut-offdevice 23 capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of leachate in thecorresponding production pipe 21. - The
facility 1 comprises as many production pipes as producing wells. - The
facility 1 further comprises anassembly 25 to supply theinjection wells 7, configured to selectively place therecycle manifold 11 in fluid communication with one or more of theinjection wells 7. - In other words, the
supply assembly 25 allows the collected leachate to be recycled by injection into one or more of theinjection wells 7, without first sending the collected leachate to thetreatment plant 19. - The
supply assembly 25 comprises: -
- a
supply manifold 27, adapted to be connected to a leachliquor supply unit 29; - a plurality of
supply pipes 31, each fluidly connecting thesupply manifold 27 to one of thesupply wells 7.
- a
- The leach liquor supply unit is typically the
leachate treatment plant 19. - Indeed, after separation of the chemical component, the leachate has a composition suitable for recycling and forming, possibly after correction of its composition, the leach liquor.
- Each
supply pipe 31 is equipped with a supply cut-offdevice 33, capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of fluid in the corresponding supply pipe. - Thus, there are as
many supply pipes 31 as there areinjection wells 7. - The
supply assembly 25 further comprises a plurality ofrecycling pipes 35, each fluidly connecting therecycling manifold 11 to one of theinjection wells 7. - Each
recycling pipe 35 is equipped with a recycling cut-offdevice 37, capable of selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation in thecorresponding recycling pipe 35. - There are as many recycling pipes as injection wells.
- In the example shown, the
recycling pipes 35 connect therecycling manifold 11 indirectly to theinjection wells 7. - Thus, the
recycling pipes 35 branch off from abranch 39 connected to thesupply manifold 27. - The
recycle manifold 11 is directly connected to thesupply manifold 27, upstream of thebranch 39. - The term upstream is understood here to refer to the normal flow direction of the leach liquor.
- A
bypass pipe 41 directly connects apoint 43 of therecycle manifold 11 to apoint 45 of thebranch 39. Thebypass pipe 41 is equipped with a cut-offdevice 46. - A cut-off
device 47 is interposed along therecycle manifold 11 between thepoint 43 and thesupply manifold 27. - A cut-off
device 49 is interposed on thebranch 39 between thesupply manifold 27 and thepoint 45. Thesupply manifold 27 is also equipped with a cut-offdevice 51, located for example between the inlet of therecycle manifold 11 and the outlet of thebranch 39. - The
operating facility 1 further comprises aunit 53 for treating the recycled leachate before injection into the or each injection well 7. - The
treatment unit 53 is arranged to inject a treatment product into the recycled leachate, before it is injected into the or each injection well 7. - Typically, the
treatment unit 53 is arranged to acidify or basify the recycled leachate. - It is configured to increase the acidity or basicity of the recycled leachate. For example, when the ISL method implements an acid leach liquor, the acidity can be adjusted up to a value of 30 grams of acid per liter of recycled leachate, typically 30 grams of H2SO4 per liter of recycled leachate.
- The
treatment unit 53 is fluidly connected to apoint 55 on thebranch 39 by apipe 57 equipped with a cut-offdevice 59. Thepoint 55 is located downstream of thepoint 45, with a cut-offdevice 61 interposed between thepoints recycling ducts 35 branch off from points located downstream of thepoint 55. - Preferably, the operating facility comprises a
separation module 63, arranged upstream of theassembly 25 for supplyinginjection wells 7 and configured to separate a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component from the recycled leachate. - The
separation module 63 is thus configured to separate the at least one chemical component from the recycled leachate and transfer the at least one chemical component into the concentrated phase. - The
separation module 63 comprises, for example, ion exchange resins, of the type adapted to bind the chemical component when the ion exchange resins are traversed by the recycled leachate. The ion exchange resins then constitute the concentrated phase. - In a variant, the
separation module 63 is configured to perform an extraction or liquid/liquid separation operation (by resins, membranes, fluid bed, etc.), using a solvent of a type adapted to recover the chemical component. The collected leachate is brought into contact with the solvent in theseparation module 63, the chemical component being transferred in the solvent. The solvent constitutes the concentrated phase. - In a variant, the
separation module 63 is of any other suitable type. - In this case, the
operating facility 1 preferably comprises an in-situ storage of the concentrated phase, and a module for transferring the concentrated phase from the separation module to an operating plant. - This operating plant is typically the operating
plant 19. - The in-situ storage is sized to store a quantity of concentrated phase corresponding to a given production time, for example one month.
- The storage is a function of the type of separation method used. For example, the storage is a tank storage. In the case of resins, the storage is on the resin contained in the
separation module 63. - The transfer module is of any suitable type.
- When the
separation module 63 contains ion exchange resins, this module, for example, is removably connected to therecycle manifold 11. It constitutes the in-situ storage. In effect, the separated chemical component is stored in the resins. Themodule 63 also constitutes the transfer module. It is configured so that it can be disconnected from therecycle manifold 11, and transported, together with the ion exchange resins, to the treatment plant. - In a variant, the resins are eluted on site and only the eluate is transported by a mobile tank to the treatment plant.
- In another embodiment, a part of the resins is discharged from the
separation module 63 and transported by a mobile tank to the operating plant. - Thus, in some cases, the transfer module is a mobile tank, into which the ion exchange resins, the eluate, or the chemical component-laden solvent is transferred.
- In the example shown, the
separation module 63 is connected by anupstream pipe 65 to apoint 66 on therecycle manifold 11, and by adownstream pipe 67 to apoint 68 on therecycle manifold 11. The upstream and downstream pipes are equipped with respective cut-offdevices device 73 is interposed between thepoints device 75 is placed upstream ofpoint 66 and a cut-offdevice 75 betweenpoints - The in-situ leach mining method according to the present disclosure will now be described, with reference to
FIGS. 2 and 3 . In these figures, the lines in use are shown in solid lines, and the inactive lines in dashed lines. The open cut-off devices are shown as hollowed out, and closed cut-off devices are shown as filled in. - A method using an acid leach liquor will be described below.
- The
operating facility 1 is designed for the implementation of this operating method. - Conversely, the operating method is particularly suitable for implementation with the
operating facility 1. However, it could be implemented with a different operating facility. - The method is especially designed to allow for optimized operation when the
cell block 3 is at the end of its life. - The method comprises a routine operation phase, during which the following operations are implemented:
-
- collecting the leachate produced by at least one cell being recycled 5 of the
block 3, said leachate forming the recycled leachate; - injecting the recycled leachate into at least one
cell 5 of saidblock 3.
- collecting the leachate produced by at least one cell being recycled 5 of the
- Thus, in the following description, the leachate coming from the at least one cell being recycled 5 is referred to as recycled leachate.
- According to a first embodiment of the method shown in
FIG. 2 , the current operating phase also comprises an operation of collecting the leachate produced by at least oneproduction cell 5 of theblock 3, and of transferring said leachate to a treatment plant. This leachate is referred to here as transferred leachate. - During the injection operation, the recycled leachate is injected into the at least one
production cell 5. - The production cell(s) is/are different from the cell(s) being recycled.
- Typically, during the routine phase, 5 cells are cells being recycled, and 10 cells are production cells. This is the case especially at the beginning of the partial recycling operation at the end of life.
- In the example shown in
FIG. 2 , the twocells 5 located at the bottom are the cells being recycled. Thethird cell 5, located above, is the production cell. - During the routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the or each recycle
cell 5, concomitantly with collecting the recycled leachate. - Similarly, during the routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the or each production cell concomitantly with the collection of the transferred leachate.
- The leach liquor is for example a solution containing 2 grams of acid per liter.
- Injecting the leach liquor into the cells being recycled 5 enables the natural process of pH increase in these cells to slow down, and thus the residual operating time of these cells increases.
- The transferred leachate is sent to the
treatment plant 19. It is collected separately, the recycled leachate never being mixed with the transferred leachate. - Preferably, the method comprises a treatment operation of the recycled leachate, performed before the injection operation. This operation is typically an acidification operation of the recycled leachate, coming from the or each cell being recycled. The recycled leachate is acidified typically to a value of 30 grams of acid per liter.
- The configuration of the
operating facility 1 during the routine phase is shown inFIG. 2 . - The collection cut-off
devices 15 of thecollection pipes 13 associated with the or each cell being recycled are open. In contrast, the production cut-offdevices 23 of theproduction pipes 21 associated with the or each recycling cell are closed. - For the or each
production cell 5, the associated production cut-offdevice 23 is open, and the collection cut-offdevice 15 is closed. - The cut-off
device 51 located on thesupply manifold 27 is open. Similarly, the supply cut-offdevices 33 associated with the or each cell being recycled 5 and the or eachproduction cell 5 are open. - The recycling cut-off
device 37 of eachrecycling pipe 35 associated with the or eachproduction cell 5 is open. The recycling cut-offdevices 37 of therecycling lines 35 associated with theother cells 5 are closed. - The cut-off
devices recycle manifold 11 are open. Thetreatment unit 53 is operational, and supplies thebranch 39 via thepipe 57. The cut-offdevices devices - Thus, the transferred leachate produced by the or each
production cell 5, is directed to theproduction manifold 17 via the or eachcorresponding production pipe 21. It is then directed to thetreatment plant 19. The recycled leachate, from the or eachrecycling cell 5, is collected by therecycle manifold 11, via thecollection pipes 13. The recycled leachate is acidified by thetreatment module 53 which is configured to make an acid top-up. - The recycled acidified leachate is injected into the or each
production cell 5 via the or eachcorresponding recycling pipe 35. - It mixes with the leach liquor from the
supply manifold 27 via the correspondingsupply pipe 31. - Concurrently, the cells being recycled 5 are fed with the leach liquor via the corresponding
supply pipes 31. - The recycled leachate contains the chemical component extracted from the or each cell being recycled. It is re-injected into the or each
production cell 5, so that the leachate coming from the or eachproduction cell 5 has a significantly higher concentration of chemical component than the leachate coming from the or each cell being recycled 5. - At the end of the routine phase, the operation of the or each cell being recycled is stopped.
- This operation is typically stopped when the pH increases in the cells clog the
corresponding production wells 9 or when the economic cut-off points of the method have been reached. - A new phase then starts in which:
-
- the at least one
cell 5 into which the leachate recycled was injected in the routine phase becomes the at least one cell being recycled 5 during the new phase; - the leachate recycled during the new phase is injected into at least one
new cell 5 of theblock 3.
- the at least one
- The new phase implements the same operations as those described for the routine phase. Only the circulation of the leachate and the leach liquor is modified.
- This change in the circulation of the leachate and of the leach liquor is easily carried out, since it is sufficient to modify the position of the cut-off devices to switch from the routine phase to the new phase.
- An underground flow traverses the
cell 5block 3 in a certain direction. This underground flow corresponds to the non-potable groundwater or an underground river running through the mine. Neither of these waters has any other application than mining. The direction of the groundwater flow within theblock 3 is known. It is typically determined by hydrogeological studies, prior to the start of mining operations. The flow direction of the flow is represented by an arrow F onFIG. 2 . - According to the operating method of the present disclosure, the operation of the
cells 5 of theblock 3 is stopped progressively, according to said flow direction. - This means that the
first cells 5 to be stopped will be the cells located upstream of the flow. Thelast cells 5 to be stopped will be the cells located downstream of the flow. - Thus, for a given operating phase, the cell or
cells 5 being recycled will be located relatively upstream, and the cell orcells 5 in production will be located relatively downstream. - At the time of the transition to the next phase, the new cell or cells, in which the leachate is recycled, will be located downstream of the production cell or cells of the previous phase. One of these new cells is shown in dashed lines in
FIG. 2 . - The operating method thus comprises several successive operating phases. At the end of each operating phase, one or more cells are shut down, typically those located furthest upstream in the flow direction. The operating method ends when all the cells in the block have been shut down.
- The method described above has multiple advantages.
- It enables a reduction in the volume of leachate produced by the
block 3 at the end of the production, that is, at the end of mining the block. The volume of leachate sent to the treatment plant via the supporting hydraulic networks, usually conveying the solutions produced, is thus reduced. - This enables networks operators to not saturate the supporting hydraulic networks, while optimizing the global production at the mine level. It also enables the average chemical concentration of the solutions sent to the treatment plant not to decrease. As a result, specific overconsumption of reagents at the treatment plant is avoided.
- The method also enables the recovery percentage of the reserves of the
block 3 to increase, and thus the economic production cut-off point of theblock 3 to be lowered. - This potentially enables the recovery of resources not classified as reserves, in the case where it is possible to significantly lower the value of the economic production cut-off of a
block 3. - The method described also enables preparation for the remediation of hydraulic mining reservoirs used during a mining operation by in-situ leaching. The rise in pH is monitored until it is impossible to operate the cells hydraulically, due to the precipitation of certain compounds that clog the pores of the cell and the strainers of the producing wells.
- A second embodiment of the operating method of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to
FIG. 3 . Only the points by which the second embodiment differs from the first will be detailed below. - Identical elements or elements performing the same function will be designated by the same references.
- The second embodiment has only one operating phase.
- Thus, all the
cells 5 of the block are cells being recycled. This means that the leachate produced by eachcell 5 of theblock 3 is directed to therecycle manifold 11. Theproduction manifold 17 does not receive any leachate from the cells of the block. Thus, all leachate is recycled. - The recycled leachate is re-injected into all the
cells 5 of the block. In other words, eachcell 5 of the block receives a portion of the recycled leachate. - The
cells 5 in theblock 3 are fed only with the recycled leachate, and do not receive any leach liquor. - The single operation phase comprises a separation operation during which a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component is separated from the recycled leachate
- In other words, during the separation operation, the at least one chemical component is separated from the recycled leachate and transferred to a concentrated phase.
- The concentration of the chemical component of interest of the recycled leachate at the end of the separation operation depends on the nature of the chemical component. For uranium, it is less than 25 milligrams per liter, generally less than 15 milligrams per liter, or even less than 5 milligrams per liter.
- The recycled leachate, before the separation operation, typically has a concentration of the chemical component of interest of 40% of the average concentration produced in the mining area. The method of the present disclosure is only economically viable if the recycled leachate, before the separation operation, has a concentration of chemical component of interest typically higher than 10% of the average concentration produced in the mining area. Below this value, the method is not economically viable because of the reagents consumed at the treatment plant and the investment cost.
- The separation operation is carried out as described above with reference to
FIG. 1 . - It is for example carried out using ion exchange resins, or a liquid/liquid solvent extraction method.
- The concentrated phase is stored in-situ for a specified time. For example, a quantity of concentrated phase corresponding to one month of production is stored in-situ.
- This concentrated phase is then transferred to the
treatment plant 19, where the at least one chemical component is separated from the concentrated phase. - The transfer method is as described above with reference to
FIG. 1 . When the separation operation is carried out using ion exchange resins, it is the treatment unit itself that is, for example, uncoupled from therecycle manifold 11 and then transported to theplant 19. In a variant, the resins are eluted and the eluate is transferred to a mobile tank. In another variant, a portion of the resins is transferred to a mobile tank and transported in the mobile tank to the treatment plant. - When the separation operation involves a solvent, the spent solvent containing the chemical component is transferred into a mobile tank, the tank then being transported to the treatment plant.
- The recycled leachate is preferably subjected to a treatment operation before injection. Typically, this treatment is an acidification treatment of the recycled leachate.
- The acidification of the recycled leachate is carried out, for example, by adding an acid solution with 30 grams of acid per liter, typically 30 grams of H2SO4 per liter.
- The collected leachate, after acidification, has an acid concentration between 2 and 10 grams of acid per liter, depending on the acid saturation of the mining reservoir. This concentration is for example between 2 and 10 grams of H2SO4 per liter.
- In the second method, the operation of each
cell 5 is stopped when the rise in pH in said cell clogs the or each producing well 9 associated with the cell. - The configuration of the
operating facility 1 during the second embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described. The production cut-offdevices 15 are all open. The production cut-offdevices 23 are all closed. The leachate from theindividual cells 5 is thus directed via thecollection pipes 13 to therecycle manifold 11. It forms the recycled leachate. - The recycled leachate is directed from the
recycle manifold 11 to theseparation module 63. To do this, the cut-offdevice 73 located betweenpoints devices recycle manifold 11 via theupstream pipe 65 to theseparation module 63, then from theseparation module 63 via thedownstream pipe 67 to the downstream part of therecycle manifold 11. - The cut-off
devices devices treatment module 63, therefore flows via thebypass pipe 41 to thebranch 39. Thetreatment unit 53 injects a quantity of acid at 30 g/l into the recycled leachate, via thepipe 57. The cut-offdevice 59 is opened. - Then, the recycled and acidified leachate is injected into the
cells 5 through therecycling pipes 35. The recycling cut-offdevices 37 are open. - The
supply manifold 27 is inactive, the cut-offdevice 51 being closed. The supply cut-offdevices 33 are also closed. - This operating method also has multiple advantages.
- This method allows the operation of an isolated cell block that is not fluidly connected to the hydraulic networks under load. More specifically, block 3 is separated from the hydraulic networks in
charge connecting block 3 to thetreatment plant 19. It is also separated from the hydraulic networks in charge supplying the leach liquor. - Because the end-of-
production block 3 is separated from the on-load hydraulic systems that convey the produced solutions to the operating plant, the operators of these hydraulic systems can avoid saturating the on-load lines with highly diluted leachate and optimize the overall production at the mine. - Again, the method according to the present disclosure maintains the average concentration of leachate sent to the treatment plant, and avoids specific overconsumption of reagents in this plant.
- The percentage recovery of the block reserves can be increased. The economic production cut-off value of the block is lowered, which makes it possible to recover resources not classified as reserves in case of a significant lowering of the economic production cut-off value of a block.
- In the exemplary embodiment described above, the block is totally separated from the supporting hydraulic networks. In a variant, some cells are supplied with leach liquor derived from the treatment plant. These cells are production cells, the leachate moving upwards from these cells being directed to the treatment plant and not recycled through a separation module.
Claims (21)
1-18. (canceled)
19. A method of exploiting a mine comprising at least one chemical component by in-situ leaching, the mine comprising a plurality of cells each equipped with at least one injection well configured for injection of a leach liquor into said cell and at least one production well configured for collecting a leachate containing the at least one chemical component moving upwards from said cell, the method comprising:
when a block of the cells is at the end of its life, a routine phase comprising:
collecting the leachate produced by at least one of the cells being recycled in said block, said leachate forming the recycled leachate; and
injecting the recycled leachate into at least one of the cells of said block.
20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising treating the recycled leachate before the injecting of the recycled leachate into the at least one cell of said block.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the treating of the recycled leachate before the injecting of the recycled leachate into the at least one cell of said block includes acidifying the recycled leachate.
22. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said routine phase comprises collecting the leachate produced by at least one production cell of the cells of said block and transferring the leachate to a treatment plant, said leachate forming the transferred leachate, the at least one chemical component being separated from the leachate transferred in the treatment plant.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein during the injecting of the recycled leachate into at least one cell of said block, the recycled leachate is injected into the at least one production cell.
24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein during said routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the cells being recycled concomitantly with the collection of the recycled leachate.
25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein during said routine phase, the leach liquor is injected into the at least one production cell concomitantly with the collection of the transferred leachate.
26. The method according to claim 22 , wherein at the end of said routine phase, the operation of the at least one cell being recycled is stopped, and a new phase starts in which:
the at least one cell into which the leachate recycled is injected in said routine phase becomes the at least one cell being recycled during the new phase, and
the leachate recycled during the new phase is injected into at least one new cell of said block.
27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the block of cells is traversed by an underground flow flowing in a determined direction, the operation of the cells of the block being stopped progressively according to the said determined direction of the underground flow.
28. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said routine phase comprises a separation operation during which a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component is separated from the recycled leachate.
29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the concentrated phase is stored in-situ for a period of time and then transferred to a treatment plant, with the at least one chemical component being separated from the concentrated phase in the treatment plant.
30. The method according to claim 28 , wherein all of the cells of the block are being recycled and the recycled leachate is reinjected into all of the cells of the block.
31. An operating facility for operating a mine by in-situ leaching for at least one chemical component, the mine comprising at least one block having a plurality of cells, the operating facility comprising:
at least one injection well for each cell of said block configured for injection of a leach liquor into said cell;
at least one production well for each cell of said block configured to take a leachate containing the at least one chemical component moving upwards from said cell;
a recycle manifold;
a plurality of collection pipes each fluidly connecting one of the production wells to the recycle manifold, each collection pipe being equipped with a collection cut-off device configured for selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation of leachate collected in the corresponding collection pipe; and
a supply assembly for supplying the injection wells, configured to selectively place the recycle manifold in fluid communication with one or more of the injection wells.
32. The operating facility according to claim 31 , further comprising a unit for treating the recycled leachate before injection into the or each injection well.
33. The operating facility according to claim 32 , wherein the unit for treating the recycled leachate before injection into the or each injection well is configured for acidifying the recycled leachate.
34. The operating facility according to claim 31 , further comprising:
a production manifold configured to be connected to a treatment plant, the at least one chemical component being separated from the leachate in the treatment plant; and
a plurality of production pipes, each fluidly connecting one of the production wells to the production manifold, each production pipe being equipped with a production cut-off device configured for selectively authorizing or prohibiting the flow of leachate in the corresponding production pipe.
35. The operating facility according to claim 31 , further comprising a separation module arranged upstream of the supply assembly of the injection wells and configured to separate a phase concentrated in the at least one chemical component from the recycled leachate.
36. The operating facility according to claim 35 , further comprising in-situ storage of the concentrated phase, and a module for transferring the concentrated phase from the separation module to a treatment plant, with the at least one chemical component being separated from the concentrated phase in the treatment plant.
37. The operating facility according to claim 31 , further comprising a plurality of recycling pipes, each fluidly connecting the recycle manifold to one of the supply wells, each recycle pipe being equipped with a recycle cut-off device configured for selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation in the corresponding recycle pipe.
38. The operating facility according to claim 31 , further comprising:
a supply manifold, configured to be connected to a leach liquor supply unit;
a plurality of supply pipes, each fluidly connecting the supply manifold to one of the supply wells, each supply pipe being equipped with a supply cut-off device configured for selectively authorizing or prohibiting the circulation in the corresponding supply pipe.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR1860488A FR3088364B1 (en) | 2018-11-14 | 2018-11-14 | Method and installation for operating a mine by in situ leaching |
FRFR1860488 | 2018-11-14 | ||
PCT/EP2019/081232 WO2020099514A1 (en) | 2018-11-14 | 2019-11-13 | Method and facility for operating an in-situ leach mine |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20220003100A1 true US20220003100A1 (en) | 2022-01-06 |
Family
ID=66542294
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/294,024 Abandoned US20220003100A1 (en) | 2018-11-14 | 2019-11-13 | Method and facility for operating an in-situ leach mine |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20220003100A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2019382091A1 (en) |
FR (1) | FR3088364B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2020099514A1 (en) |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4498705A (en) * | 1982-03-17 | 1985-02-12 | L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude | Method and apparatus for in-situ mining by leaching ores containing metal values |
US9080441B2 (en) * | 2011-11-04 | 2015-07-14 | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Multiple electrical connections to optimize heating for in situ pyrolysis |
US20160194734A1 (en) * | 2013-09-04 | 2016-07-07 | Curtin University Of Technology | A process for copper and/or precious metal recovery |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3915499A (en) * | 1974-07-23 | 1975-10-28 | Us Energy | Acid pre-treatment method for in situ ore leaching |
US4155982A (en) * | 1974-10-09 | 1979-05-22 | Wyoming Mineral Corporation | In situ carbonate leaching and recovery of uranium from ore deposits |
US4071278A (en) * | 1975-01-27 | 1978-01-31 | Carpenter Neil L | Leaching methods and apparatus |
US4547019A (en) * | 1983-05-06 | 1985-10-15 | Phillips Petroleum Company | In-situ recovery of mineral values with sulfuric acid |
US4575154A (en) * | 1983-12-19 | 1986-03-11 | Mays Wallace M | In situ leach method |
DK2607313T3 (en) * | 2011-12-23 | 2018-03-12 | Solvay | Solution mining of ore containing sodium carbonate and bicarbonate. |
-
2018
- 2018-11-14 FR FR1860488A patent/FR3088364B1/en active Active
-
2019
- 2019-11-13 AU AU2019382091A patent/AU2019382091A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2019-11-13 WO PCT/EP2019/081232 patent/WO2020099514A1/en active Application Filing
- 2019-11-13 US US17/294,024 patent/US20220003100A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4498705A (en) * | 1982-03-17 | 1985-02-12 | L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude | Method and apparatus for in-situ mining by leaching ores containing metal values |
US9080441B2 (en) * | 2011-11-04 | 2015-07-14 | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Multiple electrical connections to optimize heating for in situ pyrolysis |
US20160194734A1 (en) * | 2013-09-04 | 2016-07-07 | Curtin University Of Technology | A process for copper and/or precious metal recovery |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2019382091A1 (en) | 2021-05-27 |
WO2020099514A1 (en) | 2020-05-22 |
FR3088364B1 (en) | 2022-12-16 |
FR3088364A1 (en) | 2020-05-15 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CN102946984B (en) | For by embedded for flocculant the method and apparatus be injected in the fluid stream of slaking fine tailings | |
CN108318660B (en) | Coal gangue leaching and soaking test device under multi-field coupling effect | |
CN102230384A (en) | Earth pressure balance/ muddy water pressurization continuously-switching shield construction method | |
CN103194597A (en) | In-situ leaching method of electric field strengthened fine grain tailings | |
Manning et al. | Heap leaching of gold and silver ores | |
KR101817123B1 (en) | module of treating hydraulic fracturing produced water for shale gas and process for the same | |
US20220003100A1 (en) | Method and facility for operating an in-situ leach mine | |
CN105273759B (en) | A kind of method and its design method and purposes for removing crystal salt | |
Fourie | Paste and thickened tailings: has the promise been fulfilled? | |
US4575154A (en) | In situ leach method | |
RU2327873C1 (en) | Method for comprehensive development of complex ore fields | |
CN110331281A (en) | A kind of in-situ acid uranium leaching list exploiting field independence acidization tool | |
CN110645044A (en) | Grouting filling system | |
CN106050191A (en) | Movable equipment and technology for comprehensive utilization and centralized processing of drilling waste | |
CN113293286B (en) | In-situ ore blending method | |
CN106076603B (en) | The resource utilization of manganese ore mud utilizes method and apparatus | |
CN102764692A (en) | Superfine tailing fluidized mining and bacterial leaching system and technology | |
AU2019382219A1 (en) | Facility and methods for operating a mine by in-situ leaching | |
CN108452939A (en) | The resource utilization of manganese ore mud utilizes equipment | |
CN218990181U (en) | Underground diaphragm wall circulating slurry supply system capable of fully utilizing residual slurry | |
RU218606U1 (en) | Mobile plant for the recovery of associated components in downhole in-situ leaching | |
CN114687794B (en) | Coal mine filling and repeated mining method | |
Wu et al. | Paste backfill system design and commissioning at Chambishi Copper Mine | |
CN216259268U (en) | Deep cone thickener underflow energy-saving conveying system | |
Jeuken et al. | Uranium ISL operation and water management under the arid climate conditions at Beverley, Australia |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ORANO MINING, FRANCE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DEBERGE, ADRIEN;JEROME, VIOLE;SIGNING DATES FROM 20210624 TO 20210628;REEL/FRAME:056731/0290 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |