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Abstract
The recovery of copper by leaching techniques has been practiced for centuries. In the U:iited States at the present time approximately 25 percent of the primary copper production is derived frnm leaching activities. Most of this production results from massive dump and heap leaching activitie: associated with large open-pit mines. Historically a small portion of copper is produced from small scale in situ leaching operations treating low-grade rock left from earlier mining activities. In situ leaching technology because of its intrinsic advantages over conventional mining and milling is being considerec as a viable option for recovering copper from both oxide and sulfide deposits.
This paper reviews the development of copper in situ leaching, and discusses both commercial and experimental projects. Hydrometallurgical extraction of copper by in situ leaching requires interfacing such technologies as solution chemistry, hydrology, geology, geochemistry, and rock mechanics. Both physical and chemical parameters must be integrated to successfully predict in situ leaching performance. In this study, a large whole core sample of copper oxide core was leached to gain a better understanding of the physical and chemical factors influencing in situ leaching behavior.