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Kurmanseiit, M.B.; Tungatarova, M.S.; Royer, J.-J.; Aizhulov, D.Y.; Shayakhmetov, N.M.; Kaltayev, A. |
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Streamline-based reactive transport modeling of uranium mining during in-situ leaching: Advantages and drawbacks |
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2023 |
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Hydrometallurgy |
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220 |
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106107 |
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3D modeling, In-situ leaching, Reactive transport model, Streamlines, Uranium recovery |
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Abstract |
Reactive transport modeling is known to be computationally intensive when applied to 3D problems. Transforming sequential computing on the computer processor units (CPU) into parallelized computation on the high-performance parallel graphic processor units (GPU) is a classical approach to increasing computational performance. Another complementary approach is to decompose a complex 3D modeling problem into a set of simpler 1D problems using streamline approaches which can be easily parallelized, therefore reducing computation time. This paper investigates solutions to the equations governing dissolution and transport using streamlines coupled with a parallelization approach. In addition, an analytical solution to the dissolution and transfer equations of uranium describing the In-Situ Leaching (ISL) mining recovery is found using an approximation series to the 2nd order. The analytical solution is compared to the 1D numerical resolution along the streamlines and to the 3D simulation results superimposed on the streamline. Both approaches give similar results with a relative error of \textless2 % (2%). The proposed methodology is then applied to a case study in which the classical 3D resolution is compared to the newly suggested streamline solution, demonstrating that the streamline approach increases computational performances by a factor ranging from hundred to thousand depending on the complexity of the grid-block model. |
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0304-386x |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ kurmanseiit_streamline-based_2023 |
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190 |
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Shayakhmetov, N.M.; Alibayeva, K.A.; Kaltayev, A.; Panfilov, I. |
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Title |
Enhancing uranium in-situ leaching efficiency through the well reverse technique: A study of the effects of reversal time on production efficiency and cost |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
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Hydrometallurgy |
Abbreviated Journal |
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219 |
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106086 |
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Economic evaluation, Hydrodynamic enhancement of mineral production, In-situ leaching, Mineral recovery, Optimal reversal time, Well reversing technique |
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Abstract |
In this study, the application of the Well Reversal Technique (WRT) and the impact of reversal time on the efficiency of uranium mining via In-Situ Leaching (ISL) were investigated. A prevalent issue in ISL mineral extraction is the formation of stagnant zones caused by limited access of the lixiviant, which leads to increased operating expenditures. The WRT, which involves altering the function of some wells from injection to production or vice versa, is a potential solution to this problem. The efficiency of WRT is heavily dependent on the well pattern and reversal time. Two commonly used well patterns in ISL are the 9-spot (row arrangement) and 7-spot (hexagonal arrangement). The objective of this study was to determine the optimal reversal time for a 9-spot well pattern through mathematical modeling of hydrodynamic and physico-chemical processes and subsequent economic assessment. A mathematical model of uranium extraction processes was developed using the principles of mass conservation, Darcy’s, and mass action laws. The results obtained for a 9-spot well pattern without reversal, with two reversal options, and a 7-spot scheme were analyzed comparatively. The 7-spot scheme without reversal was found to be the most effective of the options examined. The application of WRT on a 9-spot well pattern allows to enhance production efficiency to a level comparable to that of a 7-spot well pattern. Additionally, the effect of reversal time on recovery was studied based on two well reversal options. The results from calculation revealed that the optimal scenario was when the well reversal is conducted immediately after the time point at which the average concentration of the pregnant solution in the production wells reaches its peak value. The overall efficiency of WRT application was determined through economic calculations of capital (CAPEX) and operating (OPEX) expenditures. Based on economic calculations, it was determined that the utilization of WRT results in a 3–18% increase in mineral production efficiency for a 9-point scheme, depending on the chosen reversal method. |
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0304-386x |
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THL @ christoph.kuells @ shayakhmetov_enhancing_2023 |
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203 |
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