Experimental Heap Leach Performance Evaluation
Location
Chile
Client
Confidential
Project Description
GSA designed and implemented an in-situ monitoring system for an experimental heap- leach operation. Twenty-five wells were drilled and instrumented to allow continuous monitoring of temperature, oxygen, water content, solution dynamics, solution level, and solution flows at specific locations and depths within the heap. Well completions also allowed for manual gas sampling, air permeability/air flow monitoring, and in-situ solution sampling. Finally, a tracer test was performed to evaluate solution transport phenomena and the heap was drilled to determine post-leach hydraulic and mineralogical properties. These data, combined with laboratory data, were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the heap-leach design and operations.
Project Highlights
- Design of monitoring system to collect in-situ data on temperature, oxygen content, water content, solution dynamics, solution levels, flows and solution chemistry at various locations throughout heap
- Construction, calibration and installation of over 600 instruments in 25 wells at various depths of 18 meters
- Design and program automated hourly data collection system with interface to mine SCADA system
- Laboratory analysis of heap leach material for physical and hydraulic parameters
- Design and modeling of tracer test
- Design and oversight of sample collection and hydraulic property testing on post-leach ore
