Method of in situ mining
US4249777A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 24, 1979 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B43/30
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An improved method of in situ mining of a mineral bearing stratum. The method comprises drilling alternating rows of vertical injection and recovery wells to the depth of an aquiferrous mineral bearing stratum. Two horizontal branches are drilled at the bottom of each injection and recovery well. The horizontal branches are substantially parallel to one another and lie within the mineral bearing stratum. Leachant fluid is pumped under pressure into the injection wells to dissolve the minerals contained in the stratum. Leachant fluid containing the dissolved minerals is pumped out through the recovery wells. The method of the present invention requires substantially less drilling and pipe for extracting minerals from a given volume of a mineral bearing stratum and results in more constant mineral extraction rates than conventional techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.