Artículo de revista
In situ mining through leaching: experimental methodology for evaluating its implementation and economic considerations
Fecha
2015Registro en:
The Journel of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 116: july 2016, p. 689
2225-6253
10.17159/2411-9717/2016/v116n7a11
Autor
Bahamóndez, C.
Castro, R.
Vargas Valero, Tomás
Arancibia, E.
Institución
Resumen
Rising costs in the mining industry have necessitated a search for
alternative methods for the recovery of metals from deposits that are no
longer economically or environmentally exploitable by conventional
mining. These alternative methods include in situ mining.
A laboratory model was developed and an experimental programme
undertaken to determine the effect of temperature, aeration, material
compression, and material extraction on copper recovery by in situ
leaching using H2SO4 and Fe3+. Recovery was estimated using the
shrinking core model. Based on the experimental results and recovery
estimations, an economic evaluation was completed comparing in situ
mining with conventional mining methods.