A comprehensive gold oxide heap leach model: Development and validation

A comprehensive mathematical model of the heap leaching of oxide ores with application to gold–silver–copper complexes and its numerical solution strategy is presented. The model is multi-scale, capturing details of the reactions at a particle (mm to cm) level and full transport issues at the scale (m to km) of the full heap. The challenges of model parameterisation and validation are covered, as is the application of the model in the analysis of dynamically expanding full scale three dimensional heaps. Provided that the model can be adequately parameterised, results clearly demonstrate its capability to predict the full scale behaviour of complex oxide heaps and to form the basis as an engineering management information tool for process planning and control.

► A comprehensive model for the heap leaching of oxide ores is presented.
► The model captures the key physics and interactions of a full-scale heap.
► Calibration and validation of the model is performed against an industrial heap.
► Results demonstrate its capability to predict the behaviour of complex oxide heaps.
► The model is a potential tool for strategic planning, optimisation and control.