RETROGRESSIVELY IN-SITU ORE BODY CHEMICAL MINING SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

An improved in-situ ore body chemical-mining system and method are disclosed, whereby it is practicable to mine an ore body of substantially horizontally extended configuration which would otherwise be uneconomical because of adverse overhead or overburden conditions. Beginning adjacent the distal ends of two or more generally horizontally drilled and substantially parallel bore holes which are drilled into the ore body from an elevation substantially similar to that of the ore body, a combination of permeabilizing and mining processes are applied to the body of ore circumjacent the horizontal penetration. The permeabilizing and mining processes are retrogressively applied to successive blocks of the ore body retreating by stages from the distal region of the penetration towards the entry region thereof.