Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – With separation of materials
Patent
1985-02-11
1986-10-07
Suchfield, George A.
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
With separation of materials
175 71, 299 17, E21C 3712
Patent
active
046155643
ABSTRACT:
The invention is an improvement in borehole mining which overcomes the conventional problem in hydraulic mining of removing rock fragments and ore from beneath the surface by utilizing a foam/air conveyance technique. This eliminates the need for a pump and overcomes the drawback of short pump life that is ordinarily encountered when pumps are engaged in pumping fluid slurries containing a high component of fragmented rock. A foaming agent, such as an organic sulfonic acid surfactant is introduced into the borehole, preferably combined in the water used to dislodge the particles thereby foaming during mining. The foam containing the entrained particles is removed to the surface by a gas, e.g., air under sufficient pressure and rate to maintain the flow from the well bore. The foam is broken at the surface by conventional methods and the mined particles recovered.
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Hydrofoam Mining, Inc.
Johnson Kenneth H.
Suchfield George A.
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