ADDIS ABABA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
COURSE: Surface mining
Title: Heap leaching and aqueous mining impact
GROUP 3 MEMBERS ID NO
1) Bereket Bula ETS 0203/13
2) Eyob Daniel ETS 0464/13
3) Beniyam Abebe ETS 0198/13
4) Samuel Enchalew ETS 1133/13
5) Temesgen Silabat ETS 1215/13
6) Bernabas Awgchew ETS 0224/13
7) Yohannes Messele ETS 1342/13

Submitted to: Instructor Tewodros

Submission date: May 23rd, 2023
Table of Content

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1

Heap leaching.................................................................................................... 2

Process..................................................................................................................2

Gold Heap Leaching Process................................................................................3

Apparatus used....................................................................................................5

ADVANTAGES OF HEAP LEACHING......................................................................6

DISADVANTAGE (Environmental impact) OF HEAP LEACHING...........................6

Reference.................................................................................................................8
 INTRODUCTION

Heap leaching is a process used in mining to extract valuable metals such as gold, silver, copper,
and uranium from ore. It involves piling crushed ore onto a heap and then applying a solution,
usually containing chemicals such as cyanide or sulfuric acid, that dissolves the desired metals.
The metals are then collected from the solution and processed further.

The environmental impact of heap leaching and aqueous mining can be significant, particularly
if the process is not properly managed.
Chemicals used in the process can leach into the surrounding soil and groundwater, potentially
contaminating local water sources and harming wildlife. Additionally, the large amounts of
waste rock and tailings generated by the process can create physical and visual impacts on the
landscape.

Efforts are being made to minimize the environmental impact of heap leaching and aqueous
mining through the use of safer chemicals, improved waste management practices, and better
monitoring and reporting of environmental impacts.
However, it remains an area of concern for many communities and environmental groups, who
advocate for greater regulation and oversight of mining activities.

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 Heap leaching
Leaching is a solid-liquid extraction technique that combines the removal of solid metal waste
with a liquid solvent called a leaching reagent to dissolve the metal. Strong acids like
hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid are frequently used as leaching reagents.

The industrial mining technique known as heap leaching uses a series of chemical reactions to
absorb certain minerals and separate them from other earth components in order to recover
precious metals, copper, uranium, and other compounds from ore.

While heap leach mining is similar to in situ mining in that it deposits the ore on a liner and then
adds chemicals to it via drip systems, in situ mining does not use liners and instead lifts
pregnant solution up to extract the minerals.

Pregnant leach solution or pregnant liquor solution (PLS) is acidic metal-laden water generated
from stockpile leaching and heap leaching. Pregnant leach solution is used in the solvent
extraction and electrowinning (SX/EW) process.

Heap leaching is widely used in modern large-scale mining operations as it produces the desired
concentrates at a lower cost compared to conventional processing methods such as flotation,
agitation, and vat leaching.

Process
The mined ore is often broken into small pieces and piled onto a leach pad lined with
impermeable clay or plastic so that the rich metals can be dissolved by irrigating it with a leach
solution. Although sprinklers are occasionally used for irrigation, drip irrigation is more
frequently employed in order to reduce evaporation, give a more even dispersion of the leach
solution, and protect the exposed mineral.

Then, as the solution seeps through the heap, it leaches the target mineral as well as other
minerals. Known as the "leach cycle," this procedure typically takes one or two months for
simple oxide ores (such as the majority of gold ores) and two years for nickel laterite ores. The
collected leach solution with the dissolved minerals is then processed in a facility to recover the
target mineral and, in some cases, precipitate other minerals, and once the reagent levels are
adjusted, it is recycled to the heap.

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 Gold Heap Leaching Process
Gold is extracted from low-grade gold ores using the adaptable and affordable heap leaching (HL)
process. First, the ore is crushed into tiny particles in this process. The gold-containing solution is
leached by spraying leaching solution onto the substantial heaps.
The gold was then extracted from the liquid using techniques such as carbon adsorption, a device
to displace zinc powder, and others. The procedure includes:
1. Crushing and Screening
2. Set Heap Leaching Site
3. Sodium Cyanide or CNLITE Gold Dressing Agent Spraying and Leaching
4. Carbon Adsorption
5. Zinc Powder Displacement Device

Summarized gold heap leaching process

1. Raw ore treatment of heap leaching (Crushing and screening)

 Using a jaw crusher or cone crusher, the raw ore is reduced to small particles (30–50 mm),
which are then either immediately heap leached or pelletized into larger lumps and heaped
by forklift.
2. Set the heap leach site
 Generally, heap leaching site is the gentle slope hills (natural grade 5-15 ˚) that nears the
mining site. Removing weed sand lose material firstly, and then consolidate it as the
foundation with 5 ˚gradient.
 The sides are high and the middle is low, which makes leach liquid flow into the stationary
tank easily. The yard is covered with geomembrane to prevent leakage. Around the storage
yard, a 0.4-meter ridge of soil shall be built as a ditch to prevent the rainwater from flowing
into the yard. Besides, build a 0.3-meter-thick of lean ore before stacking the ore.

3. Heap spraying

 Then the large piles will be sprayed by the leaching solutions, through which the gold-
containing solution will be leached from the piles. The pregnant liquid will flow into
pregnant solution pool. Then used the gold ore processing method of adsorption of
activated carbon, zinc powder displacement device and so on to separate gold from the
liquid. The tail liquid will be recycled.

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Agglomeration machine is a device that causes material to gather into rounded balls. It’s a
cylinder with five to nine stationary and two rotating blades at the bottom which create friction
and heat.

The rotary drum agglomerate works by taking the crushed ore fines and agglomerating them
into more uniform particles. This makes it much easier for the leaching solution to percolate
through the pile, making its way through the channels between particles.

Altering the concentration of acid over time in order to produce a solution that can be
economically treated

The addition of an agglomeration drum also has the added benefit of being able to pre-mix the
leaching solution with the ore fines to achieve a more concentrated, homogeneous mixture and
allow the leach to begin prior to the heap.

The effect of heap on recovery and solution grade

Industrial experience shows that there are significant benefits from extending the design
process beyond the liner and into the rock pile itself. Characterization of the physical and
hydraulic (hydrodynamic) properties of ore-for-leach focuses on the direct measurement of the
key properties of the ore, namely:

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  The relationship between heap height and ore bulk density (density profile)
 The relationship between bulk density and percolation capacity (conductivity profile)
 The relationship between the bulk density, porosity and its components (micro and macro)
 The relationship between the moisture content and percolation capacity (conductivity
curve)
 The relationship between the aforementioned parameters and the ore preparation
practices (mining, crushing, agglomeration, curing, and method of placement)

It generally used to recover different ore materials like precious metals, copper ores, nickel ,
uranium etc.

Apparatus used

 Modular crushing plant

 Desorption Elctrosysis System
 Leaching Agitation Tank
 Jaw Crusher
 Belt Conveyor
 Wear-resistant slurry pump
 Agglomerators
 Reagent silos for cement, quicklime and other reagents
 Aqueous reagent make-up and dosing systems
 Pachuca Tanks Ores of gold, uranium, and other metals are commonly batch-leached in large
air-agitated vessels known as Pachuca tanks.

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 ADVANTAGES OF HEAP LEACHING
Heap leaching can be a low cost means of treating low grade metalliferous ores, especially
where the ore body is oxidized. So if there is Larger waste rock dumps may result in a greater
magnitude or extent of environmental impacts associated with mineralized waste disposal
(such as land sterilization, metals leaching and acid drainage).

DISADVANTAGE (Environmental impact) OF HEAP LEACHING

 The negative side of heap leaching on the environment is the concentration of the process
chemicals used in the heap leach circuit is similar to that in conventional minerals
processing facility. However, the heap leach infrastructure is spread over a much larger
area than a metallurgical plant, over which it is much harder to achieve effective control for
people, livestock and wildlife. Allied to this, the process solution is often exposed to the
environment in open solution trenches and process ponds rather than being contained in
process vessels with limited access, thus posing a much greater threat to animal.
It can also have significant environmental impacts like :
a) Acid mine drainage
b) Soil erosion
c) Air pollution
d) Wildlife displacement
e) Waste disposal

Acid mine drainage: - Acid mine drainage occurs when the chemical solution used in heap
leaching seeps into nearby water sources, contaminating groundwater, streams, and rivers. This
can have toxic effects on plants and animals, leading to a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem
damage. In addition to acid mine drainage, heap leaching can also cause soil erosion, air
pollution, wildlife displacement, and waste disposal issues. The chemicals used in the process
can strip away topsoil, leading to the loss of fertile land and impacting local ecosystems.

To mitigate these environmental impacts, proper waste disposal, water management, and soil
conservation practices are necessary.

Soil erosion: - Heap leaching mining can lead to soil erosion due to the removal of topsoil and
vegetation. This can cause significant damage to local ecosystems, as soil erosion can lead to
the loss of fertile land and impact the quality of nearby water sources. Soil erosion can also
increase the risk of landslides and flooding, further exacerbating environmental damage. To
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prevent soil erosion, mining companies must implement proper soil conservation practices,
such as re-vegetation and erosion control measures.

Air pollution:- Heap leaching mining can also contribute to air pollution through the release of
dust and gases into the atmosphere. The crushing and processing of ore can generate dust
particles that can be carried by wind and inhaled by nearby communities, leading to respiratory
problems. In addition, heap leaching can produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases,
which can contribute to acid rain and smog formation. To mitigate air pollution, mining
companies must implement proper dust suppression measures, such as using water sprays or
enclosing crushing and processing equipment. They must also monitor air quality and reduce
emissions through the use of cleaner technologies and fuels.

wildlife displacement: - Heap leaching mining can also result in the displacement of wildlife and
destruction of their habitats. The construction of heap leach pads and associated infrastructure
can lead to the clearing of vegetation and disruption of natural ecosystems. This can force
wildlife to migrate to new areas, where they may struggle to find food, water, and shelter.

To minimize the impact on wildlife, mining companies must conduct thorough environmental
assessments before beginning operations. They must also implement measures to protect and
preserve natural habitats, such as re-vegetation and habitat restoration programs. Additionally,
they must monitor wildlife populations and behavior to ensure that their activities do not
negatively impact local ecosystems.

Water disposal: - Heap leaching mining can generate large amounts of waste material,
including rocks, soil, and other debris. This waste material must be properly disposed of to
prevent contamination of nearby water sources and ecosystems.

Mining companies typically store waste material in designated areas called tailings ponds.
These ponds are lined with impermeable materials to prevent leaching of contaminants into the
surrounding environment. However, tailings ponds can also pose risks if they leak or fail,
leading to the release of toxic chemicals and heavy metals into nearby waterways.

To minimize the risk of tailings pond failures, mining companies must regularly inspect and
maintain these structures. They must also implement measures to prevent overflows and leaks,
such as installing monitoring systems and reinforcing dam walls.

Overall, while heap leaching can be an effective mining method for extracting minerals from
low-grade ores, it is important to consider its potential environmental impacts and take steps to
mitigate them. Proper waste disposal, water management, and soil conservation practices can
help minimize the negative effects of heap leaching on the environment

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 Reference

 Researchgate.net
 Imwa.info
 https://www.sgu.se
 Wikipedia.com
 www.kensaq.com
 https://environmentalevidencejournal.biomedcentral.com/