liquid injection medium for a leaching system to extract valuable minerals from a particulate ore load through the use of a liquid solvent, trench leaching system to extract valuable minerals from a particulate ore, process for extracting valuable minerals from a particulate ore load and process for extracting valuable minerals from particulate ore

摘要

LIQUID INJECTION MEDIA FOR A LEACHING SYSTEM TO EXTRACT VALUABLE MINERALS FROM A PARTICULATED ORE LOAD THROUGH THE USE OF A LIQUID SOLVENT. LOADING OF PARTICULATE ORE AND PROCESS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF VALUABLE MINERALS FROM PARTICULATED ORE. It is a Ditch Leaching System (10, 10) that includes a tank (14) containing an ore load (50) flooded with a liquid solvent (94) up to the level of a gutter (90). A pump (42) recirculates the liquid solvent (94) upward through the ore charge (50) through a spraying arrangement (80) to dissolve the valuable minerals that are recovered through a series of cyclones (44 and 46) and separated from the turgid solvent by a carbon column (100). The rate and pressure of solvent liquid (94) that flows through the sprinkler arrangement (80) upward through the ore load (50) is kept below the amount that must fluidize the ore load (50) and in an amount which produces channels (114, 122) that follow random paths that vary over time through the ore charge (50), in which the ore particles in the channels (114, 122) are agitated by the liquid solvent (94) and wherein the ore particles outside the channels (114, 122) are kept substantially static and in contact with the liquid solvent (94). Such a system (10, 10 ') can process low grade ore (50) at low operating and capital costs.