- In place leaching is also called solution mining in which minerals are recovered through boreholes drilled into the deposit.
- In this process, the solvent is pumped through the borehole into the ore body.
- Then the solvent is circulated through the porous rock of dissolving ore.
- Then the leach solution is extracted via the second borehole.
- For salt deposit fresh water used as the solvent, for copper deposit acid used as the solvent and for uranium ores acid or sodium bicarbonates used as the solvent.
Heap Leaching
- Heap leaching is an industrial mining process.
- In this process, precious metals are extracted from ore via a series of chemical reactions that absorb specific minerals and then reseparate them after their division from earth metal.
- In this process, mined ore is usually crushed into the small lump and heaped on an impermeable plastic or clay lined leached pad.
- Then the solvent is passed through it or sprinkled on it to dissolve valuable materials.
- Then the leach solution is percolated through the heap and then collected, treated in the process plant.
Example
- Copper has leached from pyritic ores.
