Computational justification of the parameters of the drainage layer at the base of the dynamic pile of heap leaching

The design of heap leaching pads for pelletized sandy-clayey ores requires forecasting operational challenges in the drainage system. These challenges arise from colmatation due to pellet degradation and mechanical damage to the drainage layer from mining equipment. This study aims to substantiate the design parameters of the drainage layer for a dynamic heap leaching (HL) pad. The paper presents results from a comprehensive suite of laboratory tests on drainage materials, including filtration and deformation analyses. The test material, sourced from the dumps of the Kuranakh ore field, consisted of crushed products in two size fractions: 20–70 mm and 0–120 mm, containing sandy-clay inclusions. The findings confirm the technical viability of utilizing the 0–120 mm fraction with sandy-clay inclusions as an effective drainage layer. Numerical modeling, based on the experimental data, was employed to determine the optimal layer thickness. This optimized parameter ensures the required filtration performance of the system and provides adequate protection for the drainage pipes against mechanical loads from mining equipment. The results are applicable for the design of new facilities and the reconstruction of existing heap leaching operations at deposits with analogous technological and geological conditions.

Marinin M. A., Pospehov G. B., Karasev M. A., Sushkova V. I. Computational justification of the parameters of the drainage layer at the base of the dynamic pile of heap leaching. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(2-1):99-113. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_21_0_99.

M.A. Marinin¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: marinin_ma@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5575-9343,
G.B. Pospekhov¹, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: pospehov@spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9090-5150,
M.A. Karasev¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, e-mail: karasev_ma@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8939-0807,
V.I. Sushkova¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: s235054@stud.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4247-6499.
¹ Empress Catherine II Saint-Petersburg Mining University, 199106, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

M.A. Marinin, e-mail: marinin_ma@pers.spmi.ru.

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