Engineering and geological parameters for heap leaching of gold from low-grade sandy clay ores: a feasibility study

The most economically feasible technology for extracting valuable components from low-grade ores is the heap leaching technology. The main principle of heap leaching technology is the migration of the leaching solution through a stationary volume of ore, so that along the way of the solution movement the oxidation of metals occurs due to their interaction with chemical reagents, as a result of which metals are transformed into easily soluble compounds from which a useful component is easily extracted. In the process of heap leaching, depending on the operating mode, engineering and geological parameters such as physical and mechanical properties of the constituent soils, water saturation level, compaction under the action of overlying rocks change, which directly affects the stability of the soil mass and the development of deformation processes. In order to obtain a more reliable forecast of the geomechanical and engineering-geological situation at the heap leaching site, the numerical simulation of the stress-strain state of rocks was carried out in accordance with the calculation scheme which takes into account changes in the physical and mechanical properties of rocks resulting from compaction, saturation of the massif with cyanide solutions and precipitation. As a result, a methodology for substantiating optimal geotechnical parameters and filtration regime of heap leach piles operation and management of their stability, taking into account the specifics of functioning of complex engineering and geological structures of man-made origin, subject to the leaching process, was developed.

Marinin M. A., Karasev M. A., Pospekhov G. B., Pomortseva A. A., Sushkova V. I. Engineering and geological parameters for heap leaching of gold from low-grade sandy clay ores: a feasibility study. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2023;(9):22-37. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2023_9_0_22.

M.A. Marinin¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: marinin_ma@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5575-9343,
M.A. Karasev¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: Karasev_MA@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8389-0807,
G.B. Pospekhov¹, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: pospehov@spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9090-5150,
A.A. Pomortseva¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: a.a.pomortseva@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7911-7011,
V.I. Sushkova¹, Leading Specialist, e-mail: s171560@stud.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4247-6499,
¹ Saint-Petersburg Mining University, 199106, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

V.I. Sushkova, e-mail: s171560@stud.spmi.ru.

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