Development of an integrated heap leach solution flow and mineral leaching model

The model shows that the proportion of the ore bed governed by diffusion increases as the diameter and height of the bed increase. The hydrodynamic properties therefore appear to have a significant effect on the copper extraction profiles and, if so, this could provide an explanation as to why large scale heaps leach slower than columns. The mass transfer coefficients for solute transfer between the mobile and stagnant regimes were of a similar order of magnitude as reported in tracer studies in literature.