Systems and methods for subsurface metal recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024026492-A1
Application number	US-202318480354-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 3, 2023
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 25, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method comprising determining an ore map for a heap to identify a location of a recoverable metal value in the heap, delivering a leaching solution from a leaching solution source to a leaching solution regulating system, regulating at least one of a pressure, a mass flow rate, or a volumetric flow rate of the leaching solution to achieve a first target operational condition, wherein the first target operational condition is selected to optimize a set of operational parameters to maximize recovery of the recoverable metal value, delivering the leaching solution at the first target operational condition from the leaching solution regulating system to a subsurface leaching distribution system, and delivering the leaching solution at the first target operational condition from the subsurface leaching distribution system to the location of the recoverable metal value under a surface of the heap to leach and recover at least one metal value.

First claim

1 . A method, comprising:
determining an ore map for a heap to identify a location of a recoverable metal value in the heap; delivering a leaching solution from a leaching solution source to a leaching solution regulating system; regulating at least one of a pressure, a mass flow rate, or a volumetric flow rate of the leaching solution to achieve a first target operational condition, wherein the first target operational condition is selected to optimize a set of operational parameters to maximize recovery of the recoverable metal value; delivering the leaching solution at the first target operational condition from the leaching solution regulating system to a subsurface leaching distribution system; and delivering the leaching solution at the first target operational condition from the subsurface leaching distribution system to the location of the recoverable metal value under a surface of the heap to leach and recover at least one metal value.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the leaching solution regulating system comprises a plurality of leaching solution regulating modules.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each leaching solution regulating module comprises a meter configured to detect a pressure or flow rate of the leaching solution.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each leaching solution regulating module comprises a regulator configured to set a pressure or flow rate of the leaching solution to the target operational condition.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the regulator comprises a 3-way valve comprising a vent configured to prevent a pressure drop of the leaching solution.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of operational parameters comprises at least one of minerology, chemistry, permeability, and remaining recoverable metal values.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the ore map comprises adding flow data, irrigation data, and a remaining mineral prediction from a machine learning model to obtain information by section and by date for the heap.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining x, y, z coordinates for the location of the recoverable metal value in the heap.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising regulating at least one of a pressure, a mass flow rate, or a volumetric flow rate of the leaching solution to achieve a second target operational condition, wherein the second target operational condition is selected to maximize recovery of the recoverable metal value in accordance with variations in at least one of the location's physical and chemical characteristics in response to evaluating a leach cycle data.

10 . A system, comprising:
a recoverable metal value in a heap; a leaching solution regulating system configured to regulate a leaching solution to a target operational condition, wherein the target operational condition is selected to optimize a set of operational parameters to maximize recovery of the recoverable metal value; and a subsurface leaching solution distribution system fluidly coupled to the leaching solution regulating system, the subsurface leaching solution distribution system comprising a subsurface injector configured to deliver leaching solution to the recoverable metal value under the surface of the heap to leach and recover at least one metal value.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the set of operational parameters comprises at least one of minerology, chemistry, permeability, and remaining recoverable metal values.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsurface injector comprises a metal or thermoplastic material.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsurface leaching solution distribution system comprises a first subsurface injector and a second subsurface injector, the first subsurface injector extending into the heap a greater distance than the second subsurface injector.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsurface injector comprises a slotted portion comprising at least one slot configured to deliver leach solution to the heap.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsurface injector is fluidly coupled to a primary pipe and a secondary pipe, the primary pipe fluidly coupled to the leaching solution distribution system.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the subsurface injector is inserted into a bore formed in the heap, the bore filled with at least one material configured to provide stability and sealing for the subsurface injector.

17 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of sensors distributed along a length of the subsurface injector.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to monitor a flow condition of the leaching solution from the subsurface injector.

19 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising an ore map determined by adding flow data, irrigation data and a remaining mineral prediction from a machine learning model to obtain information by section and by data for the heap.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one location of the recoverable metal value in the heap is in x, y, z coordinates of the heap.

Assignees

• Freeport Minerals Corp

Inventors

• Clayton Casey J
• Sanchez Richard Melecio
• Crossman Raquel
• Issoe Luciano Kiniti
• Ni Tianfang
• Klesov Oleksandr
• Gerdes Luke
• Alam Muneeb
• Robertson Joanna M
• Zenner Chase
• Dean Jr John Warren

Classifications

• G01F15/066

  involving magnetic transmission devices · CPC title

• G01F15/003

  using electromagnetic, electric or electronic means (G01F15/002, G01F15/02 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/42

  Orifices or nozzles · CPC title

• G01F15/005

  Valves (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• G01F1/363

  with electrical or electro-mechanical indication (G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence) · CPC title