Estimation of hydraulic parameters under unsaturated flow conditions in heap leaching

The mathematical modeling of the unsaturated flow problem requires the simultaneous resolution of two problems: the Richards equation and the estimation of the hydraulic parameters involved in hydraulic conductivity and in the retention curve. Various techniques have been applied to both problems in a wide range of situations. In this article, a novel implementation of the processing techniques involved in copper heap leaching is presented. Specifically, the impact of the used numerical method and the selection of the parametric family are evaluated. From a methodological point of view, a global algorithm is proposed that integrates the solutions of both problems. Finally, our computational experiments are compared with previous experimental results from the Chilean copper mining industry and related works.