Effect of structural nonuniformity of ore pile on its thermal behavior in heap gold leaching in cold climate

The geophysical investigation of an ore pile was carried out on a test site of heap leaching at the Severnoe deposit in Yakutia in November 2022 through July 2024. The investigation involved ground penetrating radar and non-contact electric field measurement in winter and GPR and electrical resistivity tomography in summer. These methods enable determining electrophysical properties of rocks and detecting zones saturated with leaching solution. Computer modeling of the thermal behavior of the test ore pile in Frost 3D took into account its nonuniform structure. The on-site research of the test ore pile in different seasons and under different mode of irrigation showed that the integrated application of GPR and electrical resistivity tomography provided an accurate description of the complex structure and condition of the pile. In the pile, the zones of overcompaction and oversize with voids form, where the flow direction of the leaching solution changes. The calculations show that maintenance of positive temperatures in the ore pile needs that the temperature of the solutions is not lower than +3 °С and the percolation rate in winter is not lower than 0.5 m/day. Heat-insulation of the ore pile ensures maintenance of its positive temperature. The compacted zones with the low percolation rate slow down the temperature equalization by 3–6 months. An increase in the temperature increases permeability of the zones and changes the overall percolation flow. Rocks under such zones are excluded from uniform irrigation and leaching for 3–4 months and longer. The compacted zones have an essential effect on the thermal behavior of the ore pile, especially in its bottom layer. 

Kaimonov M. V., Prudetskii N. D., Fedorova L. L., Savvinov I. I. Effect of structural nonuniformity of ore pile on its thermal behavior in heap gold leaching in cold climate. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(1):127-145. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_1_0_127.

The study was performed within the framework of the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (code (subject code) FWRS-2026-0054, registration number No. 1025031700052-4-1.5.1), FWRS-2025-0047 registration number No. 1025041400027-4.

M.V. Kaimonov¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: gtf@igds.ysn.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2506-8349,
N.D. Prudetskii¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Researcher, e-mail: ndprudetskii@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7570-2985,
L.L. Fedorova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: lar-fed-90@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5002-6140,
I.I. Savvinov¹, Leading Engineer, e-mail: geophyzicist@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0005-1256-2689,
¹ Federal Research Center «Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences» N.V. Chersky Institute of Northern Mining of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 677000, Yakutsk, Russia. 

M.V. Kaimonov, e-mail: gtf@igds.ysn.ru.

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