Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – In situ conversion of solid to fluid – Input and output wells
Reexamination Certificate
2005-08-17
2009-11-03
Bos, Steven (Department: 1793)
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
In situ conversion of solid to fluid
Input and output wells
C299S005000, C166S303000, C166S304000, C166S310000, C423S206200, C023S297000, C023S298000, C023S299000, C023S30200R
Reexamination Certificate
active
07611208
ABSTRACT:
Disclosed are methods for solution mining of evaporite minerals, such as trona, comprising drilling an access well and at least two lateral boreholes; injecting a fluid; circulating the fluid through the lateral boreholes with a controlled fluid flow; and collecting a pregnant solution. Also disclosed are methods of solution mining that include injecting an aqueous solution into an underground trona cavity at a temperature sufficient to maintain at least a portion of the solution in the cavity in the Wegscheiderite solid phase region; removing aqueous solution from the cavity; and recovering alkaline values from the removed aqueous solution. Also disclosed are methods of solution mining that include injecting an aqueous solution into an underground trona cavity; removing aqueous solution from the cavity, wherein the temperature of the removed aqueous solution is at about the TWA point temperature; and recovering alkaline values from the removed aqueous solution.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2388009 (1945-10-01), Pike
patent: 2625384 (1953-01-01), Pike et al.
patent: 2798790 (1957-07-01), Pike et al.
patent: 2847202 (1958-08-01), Pullen
patent: 2919909 (1960-01-01), Rule
patent: 2979317 (1961-04-01), Bays
patent: 3050290 (1962-08-01), Caldwell et al.
patent: 3058730 (1962-10-01), Bays
patent: 3083760 (1963-04-01), Wills
patent: 3119655 (1964-01-01), Frint et al.
patent: 3184287 (1965-05-01), Gancy
patent: 3264057 (1966-08-01), Miller
patent: 3273958 (1966-09-01), Peverley
patent: 3273959 (1966-09-01), Miller
patent: 3328130 (1967-06-01), Gancy
patent: 3739851 (1973-06-01), Beard
patent: 3759574 (1973-09-01), Beard
patent: 3779602 (1973-12-01), Beard et al.
patent: 3792902 (1974-02-01), Towell et al.
patent: 3941422 (1976-03-01), Henderson
patent: 3953073 (1976-04-01), Kube
patent: 4222611 (1980-09-01), Larson
patent: 4232902 (1980-11-01), Cuevas
patent: 4285915 (1981-08-01), Saldick et al.
patent: 4288419 (1981-09-01), Copenhafer
patent: 4344650 (1982-08-01), Pinsky et al.
patent: 4401635 (1983-08-01), Frint
patent: 4411474 (1983-10-01), Higgins
patent: 4418960 (1983-12-01), Higgins
patent: 4425003 (1984-01-01), Huff
patent: 4496191 (1985-01-01), Choi
patent: 4498706 (1985-02-01), Ilardi et al.
patent: 4584077 (1986-04-01), Chlanda
patent: 4652054 (1987-03-01), Copenhafer
patent: 4753485 (1988-06-01), Goodhart
patent: 4815790 (1989-03-01), Rosar et al.
patent: H614 (1989-04-01), Norman, Sr.
patent: 5043149 (1991-08-01), Frint et al.
patent: 5192164 (1993-03-01), Frint et al.
patent: 5238664 (1993-08-01), Frint et al.
patent: 5246273 (1993-09-01), Rosar
patent: 5262134 (1993-11-01), Frint et al.
patent: 5283054 (1994-02-01), Copenhafer et al.
patent: 5431482 (1995-07-01), Russo
patent: 5609838 (1997-03-01), Neuman et al.
patent: 5618504 (1997-04-01), Delling
patent: 5690390 (1997-11-01), Bithell
patent: 5766270 (1998-06-01), Neuman et al.
patent: 5955043 (1999-09-01), Neuman et al.
patent: 6047774 (2000-04-01), Allen
patent: 6228335 (2001-05-01), Copenhafer et al.
patent: 6251346 (2001-06-01), Neuman et al.
patent: 6322767 (2001-11-01), Neuman et al.
patent: 6428759 (2002-08-01), Smith et al.
patent: 6576206 (2003-06-01), Copenhafer
patent: 6576209 (2003-06-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 6589497 (2003-07-01), Smith
patent: 6609761 (2003-08-01), Ramey et al.
patent: 6699447 (2004-03-01), Nielsen et al.
patent: 6854809 (2005-02-01), Ramey et al.
patent: 2001/0001037 (2001-05-01), Kunio et al.
patent: 2002/0009409 (2002-01-01), Copenhafer et al.
patent: 2002/0054842 (2002-05-01), Copenhafer et al.
patent: 2002/0192140 (2002-12-01), Smith
patent: 2003/0029617 (2003-02-01), Brown et al.
patent: 2004/0026982 (2004-02-01), Ramey et al.
patent: 2004/0108110 (2004-06-01), Zupanick
patent: 2004/0231109 (2004-11-01), Nielsen et al.
patent: 2005/0231022 (2005-10-01), Brown et al.
Frint, “FMC's Newest Goal: Commercial Solution Mining of Trona”, Engineering and Mining Journal, Sep. 1985.
Dunn & Schaafsma, FMC's New Soda Ash Technology is a Success, Mining Engineering, Apr. 1999.
Technical paper, Day, R., “White River Nahcolite Solution Mine”, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Meeting and Exhibit, Feb. 1994, Albuquerque, NM.
Day, “Solution Mining of Colorado Nahcolite” Wyoming State Geological Survey Information Circular 40, 1998.
Rosar, “Feasibility of Trona Solution Mining”, Wyoming State Geological Survey Information Circular 40, 1998.
Fairchild et al., “A New Technology for the Soda Ash Deposits near Trona, California”, Wyoming State Geological Survey Information Circular 40, 1998.
Haynes, Jr. et al., “A Model for Solution Mining Trona”, Wyoming State Geological Survey Information Circular 40, 1998.
Garrett, D., “Solution Mining”, Natural Soda Ash, Von Nostrand Reinhold, New York, NY. pp. 336-358.
“Directional Drilling”, Schlumberger website, as early as Jul. 14, 2002, available at http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=directional%20drilling, printed on Jun. 16, 2004, p. 1.
“Mining Methods”, Pangea.Stanford.edu Website, as early as Feb. 24, 2001, available at http://pangea.stanford.edu/˜kurt/tour/kurt-mining-methods.html, printed on Jun. 23, 2004, pp. 1-3.
International Search Report for International (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT/US05/29415, mailed Aug. 22, 2006.
Written Opinion for International (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT/US05/29415, mailed Aug. 22, 2006.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT/US05/29415, issued Feb. 20, 2007.
Day Roger L.
Herickhoff James A.
Bos Steven
Sesqui Mining, LLC
Sheridan & Ross P.C.
LandOfFree
Methods for constructing underground borehole configurations... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods for constructing underground borehole configurations..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods for constructing underground borehole configurations... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-4109873