Leach mining

Hunter, J. (1991). Highland In-Siiti Leach Mine. Mining (August) 5 8-63. 

KEYWORDS open pit lakes, metal leaching, mine waste, rehabilitation... 

The uranium heap leaching technology is an ex situ adaptation of a 20-year-old heap leach mining (i.e., of gold, silver, and copper) technique used to treat soil. Each soil/contaminant chemical treatment combination is unique and must be developed separately. The equipment required for field-scale uranium heap leaching is basically the same as the equipment used in standard mining practices. 

In the early 1990s a new copper extraction technology, known as in situ leach mining, was under investigation. This methodology was proposed, and demonstration plants were lo be constructed to test the proposal. These were jointly sponsored projects by the U.S. Bureau of Mines and two mining companies. If successful, leaching would cut ihe costs and hazards of the traditional open-pit methods currently used. 

Data from in-situ leach mining and restoration of roll-front uranium deposits also provide information on the potential mobility of the waste if oxidizing ground water should enter the repository. Uranium solids probably will be initially very soluble in carbonate ground water however, as reducing conditions are re-established through water/rock interactions, the uranium will reprecipitate and the amount of uranium in solution will again equilibrate with the reduced uranium minerals ... 

Larson, W. C. "Uranium In Situ Leach Mining in the United States" Information Circular 8777 U. S. Dept, of the Interior, Bureau of Mines Washington, D. C., 1978. 

In situ leach, mine water, water-treatment plant solutions... 

J. L. Uhrie, J. I. Drever, P. J. S. Colberg, and C. C. Nesbitt, In Situ Immobilization of Heavy Metals Associated with Uranium Leach Mines by Bacterial Sulfate Reduction, Hydrometallurgy, 43 231-239 (1996). 

K. P. Galvin, M. D. Engel, and S. K. Nicol, "The Selective Ion Flotation of Gold Cyanide from a Heap Leach Mine Feed Liquor, Proceedings XVlll International Mineral Processing Congress, Sydney, Australia, Austr. IMM. 

ARSON, W. C, 1978. Uranium in situ leach mining in the United Stales. Info. Circ. 8777, U.S. Dept, of Interior, Bureau of Mines. 

Remediation of Contaminated Soil Using Heap Leach Mining Technology... 

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