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In situ leaching is a miracle or a new advertising move?

By Ph.D. Igor Bobin, Ph.D. Natalia Petrovskaya

In-situ leaching (ISL), also called in-situ recovery (ISR) or solution mining.

Currently, I often meet many projects where they offer in situ leaching of ores (In
situ leaching, In-situ leaching (ISL), in-situ recovery (ISR), solution mining).

In situ leaching leaching (ISL) is a miracle or a new advertising move?

Let's find out!

Today they use ISL for ores containing:

⦁ Uranium

⦁ Gold

⦁ Copper

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They suggest using ISL for ores containing:

⦁ Hafnium

⦁ Zirconium

⦁ Scandium

⦁ Vanadium

⦁ Thallium

⦁ Lithium

⦁ Nickel

⦁ Zinc

⦁ Lead

⦁ Tin

⦁ Lead

⦁ Chromium

⦁ Phosphates

⦁ Potash

⦁ Borates

The use of In situ leaching (ISL) has significant limitations!

The effectiveness of underground leaching depends on:

⦁ The permeability of the ore body and enclosing rocks (filterability).


Permeability of the ore body must to exceed the permeability of the host

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rocks. Rocks, limiting ore body must be impermeable to the working solution.
Reacting of working solution with the ore body should not resist to filtration
of the working solution).

⦁ The chemical and mineral composition of the ore and host rocks. (It should
be ensured maximum extraction under economically acceptable reagent
consumption. Useful components should not be in the form of isomorphic
impurities).

⦁ The structure and texture of ores (This method is used in permeable sandy
deposits of loose and well penetrated ores).

⦁ The size and shape of the ore body (Applies for deposits of reservoir type).

⦁ The depth of the ore body (Used for fields located in the upper horizons
(shallow ores). The occurrence of the ore body at a depth of 1000 ft and more
is considered to be unfavorable conditions).

⦁ The content of carbonate rocks (grade of more than 2% of carbonates is


considered unfavorable condition)

⦁ The filtration uniformity of minerals

⦁ The discharge of reservoir waters, their chemical composition

When leaching, you get a solution containing many chemical elements. The

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separation of these elements can be very expensive.

Manufacturers of reagents do not have a wide assortment of reagents!

The prices are high. Pumps are also very expensive. So illusions of cheapness and
simplicity of In situ leaching (ISL) disappear in most cases of its actual application.

I am always very cautious about such projects. Very few deposits can be processed
using In situ leaching (ISL).

Sometimes this is a way to sell you a poor deposit under the guise of a new trend!

Contact us directly. Don’t buy anything without our independent assessment - this
is too risky. Don't succumb to cheap promises and simple solutions. Anything of
these doesn't exist. Each step can lead you to great loss. Remember that! We will
share with you the knowledge that any expert doesn't have in the world! We know
everything in the mineral enrichment. We have no competitors. Only we can
theoretically calculate and simulate FOR YOU the UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY, which
anybody doesn't have in the world.

Hurry, because our small team may be busy again on another project, and you will
have to wait.

Give yourself a chance to become rich and to earn billions!

© Ph.D. Igor Bobin, Ph.D. Natalia Petrovskaya

October 12, 2015

nataliapetrovsky@gmail.com

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