摘要 |
A method of controlling calcite in an in situ leaching operation by retarding the growth of calcite crystals in the lixiviant only for the resident time that the lixiviant is in a critical area of the leach circuit and then allowing the calcite to precipitate from the lixiviant in a noncritical area. A chemical inhibitor, e.g., sodium hexametaphosphate, is added to the lixiviant as the lixiviant enters a critical area, e.g., from the bottom of a production well to surface processing equipment. The inhibitor is added to the lixiviant in an amount sufficient only to retard calcite precipitation while the lixiviant moves through a critical area but not to seriously impede calcite precipitation after the lixiviant exits the critical area. |