IN-SITU MINING OF ORES FROM SUBSURFACE FORMATIONS

摘要

An in situ method of mining is disclosed. In one non-limiting embodiment, the method includes: defining an ore volume; drilling a large number of vertical boreholes; forming lateral boreholes from at least some of the vertical boreholes; transporting the ore cut during drilling of the vertical and lateral boreholes to a surface location; and separating the ore received at the surface from other materials. Additional ore may be extracted fracturing and/or leaching the formation surrounding the drilled boreholes. The residual ore at the surface may be disposed by pumping it into already drilled boreholes or underground storage facilities.

主权项

1. A method of in-situ mining of ore from below the earth surface without removing overburden, the method comprising:
defining an ore volume below the surface of the earth; drilling a plurality of boreholes from a surface location through the ore volume to disintegrates the ore volume, wherein each wellbore is drilled by a rotating a drill bit attached at bottom of a drill string and wherein a fluid is circulated through the drill string and the wellbore fluid returning (“return fluid”) to the surface carries therewith the ore disintegrated by the drill bit; and processing the return fluid at the surface location to recover a selected element present in the ore in the return fluid.