Simulation of an Ionic Rare Earth Leaching Process Based on the Darcy Law-Chemical Reaction Engineering-Transfer of Dilute Substance Coupling

• Published in: Minerals (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 12; p. 1500
• Main Authors: Wang, Dan, Wu, Fuyu, Rao, Yunzhang, Xu, Wei, Han, Min, Shi, Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2022
• Subjects: Chemical reactions; Coupling; Dilution; Earth; Geology; Groundwater; In situ leaching; Injection; Ion exchange; ionic rare earth ore; Leaching; Magnesium; Mathematical models; Metal ions; Minerals; Mining; multiple field coupling; Numerical models; numerical simulation; Permeability; Porous materials; Porous media; porous medium; Rare earth metal ores; Sand & gravel; Seepage control; Simulation; Three dimensional models; Trace elements; transfer of dilute substance
• ISSN: 2075-163X; 2075-163X
• DOI: 10.3390/min12121500

The basic principle of in situ leaching is chemical mining. The process of in situ leaching is to inject leaching solution into the ore body, and the leaching solution is spread in the pores of the mountain. The process is completed by the coupling action of the liquid seepage field and ion exchange reactions. In the production process, only one injection of liquid can be carried out in a certain stope, so it is impossible to improve the injection process and leaching effect through field practice. By simulating the in situ leaching process of rare earth ions, this paper builds the test stope true three-dimensional numerical model and simulates the leaching process of rare earth ore under the coupling of seepage control, ion exchange, and dilute material transfer in porous media. The migration rule of RE3+ and Mg2+ in stopes was analyzed to evaluate the leaching effect. It is of great significance to increase the recovery rate of rare earth ore.