Please wait a minute...
Frontiers of Earth Science

ISSN 2095-0195

ISSN 2095-0209(Online)

CN 11-5982/P

Postal Subscription Code 80-963

2018 Impact Factor: 1.205

Front Earth Sci Chin    2009, Vol. 3 Issue (2) : 208-213    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0005-9
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Characterization of solute transport parameters in leach ore: inverse modeling based on column experiments
Sheng PENG()
The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
 Download: PDF(263 KB)   HTML
 Export: BibTeX | EndNote | Reference Manager | ProCite | RefWorks
Abstract

Heap leaching is essentially a process in which metals are extracted from mine ores with lixiant. For a better understanding and modeling of this process, solute transport parameters are required to characterize the solute transport system of the leach heap. For porous media like leach ores, which contain substantial gravelly particles and have a broad range of particle size distributions, traditional small-scale laboratory experimental apparatus is not appropriate. In this paper, a 2.44 m long, 0.3 m inner diameter column was used for tracer test with boron as the tracer. Tracer tests were conducted for 2 bulk densities (1.92 and 1.62 g/cm3) and 2 irrigation rates (2 and 5 L/ (m2·h-1)). Inverse modeling with two-region transport model using computer code CXTFIT was conducted based on the measured breakthrough curves to estimate the transport parameters. Fitting was focused on three parameters: dispersion coefficient D, partition coefficient β, and mass transfer coefficient ω. The results turned out to fall within reasonable ranges. Sensitivity analysis was conducted for the three parameters and showed that the order of sensitivity is β>ω>D. In addition, scaling of these parameters was discussed and applied to a real scale heap leach to predict the tracer breakthrough.

Keywords leach ore      tracer test      inverse modeling      parameter up-scaling     
Corresponding Author(s): PENG Sheng,Email:peng.sheng@bnu.edu.cn   
Issue Date: 05 June 2009
 Cite this article:   
Sheng PENG. Characterization of solute transport parameters in leach ore: inverse modeling based on column experiments[J]. Front Earth Sci Chin, 2009, 3(2): 208-213.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-009-0005-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2009/V3/I2/208
Fig.1  Batch test result for Boron/leach ore in raffinate
columnbulk density ρb/(g·cm-3)flux q /(cm·d-1)tracer pulse (pore volume)pore water velocity v /(cm·d-1)water contentθc) /(g·cm-1)retardation factor R
high densityhigh fluxa)1.92121.79103.450.1162.03
low fluxb)1.924.81.82480.12.2
low densityhigh fluxa)1.62122.08112.150.1071.95
low fluxb)1.624.82.05500.0962.05
Tab.1  Measured/calculated and condition parameters for the column experiments
Fig.2  Observed and fitted breakthrough curves for high density column
columndispersion coefficient D /(cm2·d-1)dispersivityα/cmretardation factor Rβmass transfer coefficient ω
high densityhigh fluxa)7557.32.030.660.41
low fluxb)3597.492.20.60.71
low densityhigh fluxa)7907.051.950.680.43
low fluxb)3008.051.90.640.74
Tab.2  Parameter estimation results
Fig.3  Observed and fitted breakthrough curves for low density column
parameteroriginal10%40%100%900%-10%-40%-100%-900%
β0.660.7260.924NANA0.5940.396NANA
ω0.410.451NA0.82NA0.369NA0.205NA
D /(cm2·d-1)755830.5NA15107550679.5NA377.575.5
Tab.3  Change of parameters for sensitivity analysis
Fig.4  (a) Sensitivity of in the two-region non-equilibrium transport model; (b) Sensitivity of in the two-region non-equilibrium transport model; (c) Sensitivity of in the two-region non-equilibrium transport model
columndispersion coefficient D /(cm2·d-1)dispersivityα /cmretardation factor Rβmass transfer coefficient ω
high densityhigh fluxa)5569.6753.852.030.661.25
low fluxb)2650.5755.222.20.62.15
low densityhigh fluxa)5827.8752.031.950.681.32
low fluxb)2850.4759.381.90.642.26
Tab.4  Scaled parameter estimated for 18–m column
Fig.5  (a) Prediction of BTCs for 18 m heap with irrigation pulse of 1.79 pore volume, with time in pore volume; (b) Prediction of BTCs for 18 m heap with irrigation pulse of 1.79 pore volume, with time in day
1 Al-Yahyai R, Scheffer B, Davies F S, Munoz-Carpena R (2006). Characterization of soil-water retention of a very gravelly loam soil varied with determination method, Soil Sci , 171(2): 85–93
doi: 10.1097/01.ss.0000187372.53896.9d
2 Bouffard S C, Dixon D (2001). Investigative study into the hydrodynamics of heap leaching processes. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B , 32: 763–776
doi: 10.1007/s11663-001-0063-1
3 Clark M E, van Buuren C B, Dew D W, Eamon M A (2006). Biotechnology in minerals processing: Technological breakthroughs creating value. Hydrometallurgy , 83: 3–9
doi: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2006.03.046
4 Coram-Uliana N J, van Hille R P, Kohr W J, Harrison S T L (2006). Development of a method to assay the microbial population in heap bioleaching operations. Hydrometallurgy , 83: 237–244
doi: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2006.03.054
5 Dixon D (2000). Analysis of heat conservation during copper sulphide heap leaching. Hydrometallurgy , 58: 27–41
doi: 10.1016/S0304-386X(00)00119-5
6 Gelhar L W, Rehfeldt K R (1992). A critical review of data on field-scale dispersion in aquifers. Water Resou Res , 28(7): 1955–1974
doi: 10.1029/92WR00607
7 Haggerty R, Harvey C F, von Schwerin C F, Meigs L (2004). What controls the apparent timescale of solute mass transfer aquifers and soils? A comparison of experimental results. Water Resou Res , 40(1): W01510
doi: 10.1029/2002WR001716
8 Maraqa M (2001). Prediction of mass-transfer coefficient for solute transport in porous media. J ContamHydrol , 53: 153–171
doi: 10.1016/S0169-7722(01)00198-X
9 McLaughlin J, Agar G E (1991). Development and application of a first order rate equation for modeling the dissolution of gold in cyanide solution. Minerals Engineering , 4: 1305–1314
doi: 10.1016/0892-6875(91)90174-T
10 Milczarek M A, Zyl D, Peng S, Rice R C (2006). Saturated and unsaturated hydraulic properties characterization at mine facilities: are we doing it right? 7th ICARD, March 26–30, St. Louis MO, USA. Lexington: American Society of Mining and Reclamation (AMSR) , 1273–1286
11 Miller J D, Lin C L, Garcia C, Arias H (2003). Ultimate recovery in heap leaching operations as established from mineral exporsure analysis by X-ray microtomography. Int J MinerProcess , 72: 331–340
doi: 10.1016/S0301-7516(03)00091-7
12 Petersen J, Dixon D (2002). Systematic modeling of heap leach processes for optimization and design. EPD Congress 2002, TMS, Warrendale, PA , 757–771
13 Petersen J, Dixon D (2006). Competitive bioleaching of pyrite and chalcopyrite. Hydrometallurgy , 83: 40–49
doi: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2006.03.036
14 Poulsen T G, Moldrup P, Iverson B V, Jacobsen O H (2002). Three-region Campbell model for unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in undisturbed soils, Soil Sci Soc Am J , 66: 744–752
15 Rawlings D E (2002). Heavy metal mining using microbes. Annu Rev Microbiol , 56: 65–91
doi: 10.1146/annurev.micro.56.012302.161052
16 Sanchez-Chacon A E, Lapidus G T (1997). Model for heap leaching of gold ores by cyanidation. Hydrometallurgy , 44: 1–20
doi: 10.1016/S0304-386X(96)00052-7
17 Sato T, Tanahashi H, Loaiciga H A (2003). Solute dispersion in a variably saturated sand.?Water Resources Research ,?39(6): 1155–1161
doi: 10.1029/2002WR001649
18 Toride N, Leij F J, van Genuchten M T (1995). The CXTFIT code for estimating transport parameters from laboratory or field tracer experiments, US Salinity Lab, Riverside, Calif
19 Wan R Y, LeVier K M (2003). Solution chemistry factors for gold thiosulfate heap leaching. Int J MinerProcess , 72: 311–322
doi: 10.1016/S0301-7516(03)00107-8
20 Watling H R (2006). The bioleaching of sulphide minerals with emphasis on copper sulphides–A review. Hydrometallurgy , 84: 81–108
doi: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2006.05.001
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited

  Shared   
  Discussed