Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – In situ conversion of solid to fluid – Input and output wells
Patent
1980-04-30
1981-09-29
Purser, Ernest R.
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
In situ conversion of solid to fluid
Input and output wells
E21B 4328
Patent
active
042919207
ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is a method of economically exploiting deep set porphyry ore bodies of the type containing metal values such as sulfidic copper nickel or uranium minerals and minerals capable of absorbing copper, uranium and nickel ions. The method involves establishing communication with the ore body through access and recovery wells and passing fluids sequentially therethrough. If necessary, thief zones of as low as 25 to 50 md in igneous rock of 1 to 5 md are prevented from distorting flow, by the injection of a polymeric solution of macromolecules with molecular weights of the order of 5 million along the entire wellbore, the higher permeability zones initially accepting the majority of the flow and being impaired at a much faster rate than the less permeable zones.
In a first stage, the permeability of the leaching interval is stimulated as an ammoniated solution of sodium, potassium, or ammonium nitrate or chloride contacts calcium containing minerals to promote ion exchange, resulting in clay contraction or calcium carbonate dissolution. In a second stage, the leaching interval is primed as calcium ion is displaced with an aqueous solution of ammonium salt, a calcium sulfate scale inhibitor, and oxygen gas. In a third stage, a two-phase lixiviant comprising entrained oxygen containing bubbles and an ammoniacal leach liquor having a pH less than 10.5 and less than 1.0 mole/liter ammonia is passed through the leaching interval to solubilize copper, nickel, uranium and other metal values.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3890007 (1975-06-01), Heinen et al.
patent: 4116488 (1978-09-01), Hsueh et al.
Hard Robert A.
Harvey Walter W.
Lingane Peter J.
Park Won C.
Redman Michael J.
Kennecott Corporation
Lorusso Anthony M.
Purser Ernest R.
Sniado John L.
LandOfFree
In situ exploitation of deep set porphyry ores does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with In situ exploitation of deep set porphyry ores, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and In situ exploitation of deep set porphyry ores will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1230983