METHOD OF MINERAL HEAP LEACHING AND PILE FOR ITS EMBODIMENT Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: mining industry; applicable in heap leaching of minerals, mainly, in construction of tailings dumps. SUBSTANCE: method includes location of ore mass pile on prepared platform with system of supply and gathering of solution, supply of leaching solution up to saturation of ore mass with it, intensification of leaching by shaking up of ore mass and gathering of productive solution. Internal flow part of productive solution gathering system is isolated, at least, for period of shaking up from atmospheric air, and pressure below atmospheric one is built up in it to provide the state of tension in solution filtering the ore mass. Shaking up is effected by device for electric discharges in ore mass saturated with solution. Pile of heap leaching includes body of ore mass whose lower part is located in waterproof vessel whose bottom is inclined and covered with drainage layer and hydraulically communicated with sump of productive solution; pump maintaining the level of productive solution in sump below level of drainage level; system of supply of leaching solution to upper part of pile body; and energy-liberating units located in pile body and executing shaking up to rock mass. Hydraulic communication of drainage layer with productive solution is effected through exhaust pipe whose drain end is located in sump and provided with elbow hydroseal and mechanical shutoff device. Drain hole of exhaust pipe is located below level of drainage layer by value ensuring the state of tension of preset value in solution filtering the rock mass. Drainage layer is made for communication with atmosphere by means of additional pipe whose lower end is located in the highest part of drainage layer and upper end is brought beyond the vessel boundaries and provided with shutoff device. Elbow of hydroseal is connected to exhaust pipe by hinge for change of position of drain hole in height. Energy-liberating units are made in form of electrode pairs. Positive electrode of each pair has current lead for connection with source of pulse current. Negative electrode is made with developed grounding surface. Negative electrode is made with developed grounding surface. Negative electrodes of two and more electrode pairs are interconnected. EFFECT: intensified leaching process by intensive ultrasonic cavitation. 5 cl, 2 dwg