Towards a mechanistic understanding of electrokinetic in-situ leaching

The Challenge

In-situ leaching coupled with electrokinetics (EK-ISL) potentially enables recovery of metals from (sub-economic) ores with a smaller environmental footprint than current mining approaches.

A more refined process understanding of the EK-ISL system in relation to the potential on liberating and recovering gold and other metals such as copper is required.

The Solution

• Identification of the impacts from mineralogy, sample size, extraction conditions and reaction chemistry on the rate and magnitude of metal recovery.
• Quantification of the reactions and physical transport processes that occur under laboratory conditions.
• Assessment of the critical controls and overall feasibility of EK-ISL operations from a technical and economical perspective.

Proposed Benefit to WA

Sophisticated ISR techniques will be key to exploiting deep, sedimentary-based deposits, such the world-class copper deposit located in the Patterson Basin.