Research into electro-hydraulic blasting impact on ore masses to intensify the heap leaching process

Abstract

Purpose. Substantiating the main explosive impulse parameters and determining the dependences of metal recovery during forced loosening and shaking of the ore mass by an electro-hydraulic blasting to intensify the heap leaching process. Methods. The experimental laboratory studies have revealed the dependences of the discharge energy influence on the blasting pressure at various parameters of the discharge capacity and inductance, as well as the change in the metal content in the productive solution when the ore mass is exposed to an electro-hydraulic blasting. Findings. A research methodology using the models of the electro-hydraulic blasting impact on the ore mass is proposed. In addition, the similarity criteria have been substantiated, which make it possible to study the nature of shaking and loosening under various loading parameters. It has been determined that using the method of influencing the ore mass with an electric discharge in a liquid increases the degree of metal recovery from the ore during heap leaching and increases the rate of the solution penetration into the depth of the ore mass. When using the method of loosening the ore mass by artificial shaking, the recovery of copper increases by 10-15% and the leaching time decreases by 1.5 times. Originality. It has been determined that due to the possibility of regulating the electric discharge capacity in the required range during blasting operations, loosening and additional crushing of the ore mass occurs; fractures are formed in lumpy ores, which contribute to an increase in the rate of leaching solution infiltration. Practical implications. The proposed technology makes it possible, without dismantling the equipment and irrigation communications, to perform additional loosening of the ore mass and increase the rate of the leaching process, as well as significantly reduce the time of the technological process.

Determining the Performance of Explosives for Blasting Management

“…However, the known methodologies define a performance index in terms of a combination of different explosive indices that results in differences in the obtained calculation results; in case of EE the results are erroneously low at all. Owing to that, a performance index for IE is proposed to determine considering a degree of implementation of detonation velocity that will help consider energy and detonation characteristics of explosives such as heat and volume of the explosion gases as well as density and velocity of the explosive detonation (Kulynych et al, 2021;Serdaliyev and Iskakov, 2022). It is offered to calculate IE performance index according to new methodology as follows:…”

Polygenic gold mineralization in quartz-pebble formations on the Takyr-Kaljir site of the Southern Altai, East Kazakhstan Region

“…The intensification of gold mining in Kazakhstan determines the need to involve placer deposits in mining. At the same time, the potential of placers, linked to river valleys on the territory of the Republic, is limited and by now has been practically exhausted [14]- [16]. The prospects for placers of graben-like depressions, similar to those known in the territories of East Asia, South America and other regions, are much more significant [13], [17], [18].…”

Selecting the rational parameters for restoring filtration characteristics of ores during borehole mining of uranium depositst

“…In combination with the expected growth of nuclear energy, the demand for uranium will also increase sharply in the future, and the uranium industry of Kazakhstan, based on progressive, highly efficient borehole uranium ore mining, can make a worthy contribution to solving the problem [6], [7]. Data on explored natural uranium reserves are presented in Figure 1, while Figure 2 shows data on the share of uranium concentrate production by countries of the world.…”