Linear Systems Copper Heap Leaching
Chile is the world’s largest copper producer and as such sets the standard of practice in copper SX/EW design. The authors summarize the liner systems used at many of Chile’s major copper producers – both operating and planned. The evolution in the state of the art is also discussed, considering both economic factors and Chile’s […]
Heap Leaching Practices
Gold Fields’ Mesquite mine, located in southeastern California, heap leaches low grade gold ore at an annual rate of 2.7 Mt (3 million st). Ore is crushed in a two stage open circuit and belt agglomerated prior to loading on the leach pads. Since initial heap construction in October of 1985, a number of operating […]
Recovery of Lead from Lead Blast Furnace Slags
The analytical procedure for determining the potential for a lead containing waste to be classified as a hazardous solid material was the E.P. toxic character test, which used an acetic acid extraction procedure. If the leach liquor from that test contained more than 5 mg Pb/l then the waste was classified as a hazardous waste. […]
Leach Pad Liner Stability on Slopes
The stability of a liner system is influenced by many factors which can be compiled into four basic groups. They are: the liner system components and physical characteristics; the geometry and slope of the liner system; the loading conditions on the liner system; and the foundation conditions under the liner system. Failures in the liner […]
Agglomerating Gold Ores
The Haile Gold Mine was the largest gold producer east of the Mississippi River prior to 1942. It is currently the only producing gold mine in the Southeastern United States. Current development involves the mining and heap leaching of some 1000 TPD. Carbon is employed as a recovery medium. Due to its clayey nature and […]
Chalcocite Copper Ore Deposit for In Situ Leach Mining
Mineral Park Geology The Mineral Park mine is located in the central part of the Wallapai mining district of northern Arizona. Mineral Park is a copper-molybdenum deposit within and adjacent to a Laramide quartz monzonite porphyry intrusion. Minable copper reserves have been estimated to exceed 40 million tons of .2 pct or greater. The geology […]
Effect of Lift and Climate on Heap Leaching Efficiency
Individual Lift Height The height of each lift, or bench, of ore placed on the leach pad determines the area of liner required for a given amount of ore before subsequent lifts are placed over the first lift. The higher the lift height, the less liner required (at least initially), the higher the solution grade, […]
Design of a Bulkhead Underground Leaching Stope
This method may be economical for certain low-grade deposits by minimizing the transport of material to the surface for the recovery of valuable mineral. Application of the in situ stope leaching technique is site specific and would require detailed site characterization studies for preparation of an environmental impact statement and permitting for its design, construction, […]
Pressure Oxidation Circuit
Mineralogy unique to the Lone Tree deposit allowed for the design of a partial oxidation process that takes advantage of the heterogeneous nature of the pyrite morphology. Partial oxidation has resulted in an autoclave plant that is able to achieve low operating unit costs. Process Description The oxidation circuit consists of one autoclave, two stages […]
The Start Up of Cerro Colorado Mine
Location Cerro Colorado lies on the eastern edge of the Atacama desert in the foothills of the Andean Cordillera of northern Chile. One hundred and twenty kilometers east of the port city of Iquique, the mine site is accessed by 30 km of paved highway and 70 km of upgraded road. The mine site is […]