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In-situ leaching (ISL), also called in-situ recovery (ISR) or solution mining, is a mining process used to recover minerals such as copper and uranium through boreholes drilled into a deposit, in situ. In-situ leach works by artificially dissolving minerals occurring naturally in the solid state.
In situ [a] is a Latin phrase meaning "in place" or "on site", derived from in ('in') and situ (ablative of situs, lit. ' place ' ). [ 3 ] The term refers to the examination of phenomena or objects within their original place or context.
Uranium is mined by in-situ leaching (57% of world production) or by conventional underground or open-pit mining of ores (43% of production). During in-situ mining, a leaching solution is pumped down drill holes into the uranium ore deposit where it dissolves the ore minerals.
In-situ leaching is also called "solution mining". This process initially involves drilling of holes into the ore deposit. Explosives or hydraulic fracturing are used to create open pathways within the deposit for solution to penetrate into. Leaching solution is pumped into the deposit where it makes contact with the ore.
Thus, a compulsory in-situ leaching technology was implemented in 2011 to minimise aforementioned adverse effects. [36] In-situ leaching technology requires comprehensive geological survey of local hydrogeological structure, rock joints pattern and ore characteristics in order to design a catchment area for the leaching process.
The origin is the word lixiviate, meaning to leach or to dissolve out, deriving from the Latin lixivium. [4] A lixiviant assists in rapid and complete leaching, for example during in situ leaching. The metal can be recovered from it in a concentrated form after leaching.
Leaching is the process of a solute becoming detached or extracted from its carrier substance by way of a solvent. [1]Leaching is a naturally occurring process which scientists have adapted for a variety of applications with a variety of methods.
Similar to in situ mining, heap leach mining differs in that it places ore on a liner, then adds the chemicals via drip systems to the ore, whereas in situ mining lacks these liners and pulls pregnant solution up to obtain the minerals. Heap leaching is widely used in modern large-scale mining operations as it produces the desired concentrates ...