Benchmark 3D reactive transport modelling of leaching of fractured calcareous sulfide ores


Benchmark 3D reactive transport modelling of leaching of fractured calcareous sulfide ores

Karimzadeh, L.; Kulenkampff, J.; Schymura, S.; Lippmann-Pipke, J.

In the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 research project “BIOMOre” we developed a benchmark 3D reactive transport model to evaluate and predict insitu leaching (ISL) of fractured calcareous Kupferschiefer ore deposites. A critical challenge of our tasks is the implementation of the feedback between the evolution of porosity due to mineral dissolution/precipitation and modifications of the hydrodynamics of the reacting fluid. The sequential leaching of a calcareous sulfidic sandstone core (D=6 cm, L=10 cm) sampled from Kupferschiefer ore formation (Rudna mine, Poland) was done in laborytory. Here we present simulated results of the leaching of the core sample.
Geochemical modeling was performed by means of the COMSOL-PHREEQC interface iCP. The governing equations for fluid flow and conservative tracer transport are solved within the finite element code Comsol Multiphysics®. The geochemical processes considered in the model are kinetically controlled mineral dissolution and precipitation and equilibrium aqueous complexation reactions based on mass action law simulated by means of PHREEQC using BRGM database and advective-dispersive transport in the fracture and matrix diffusion in the rock mass calculated by COMSOL Multiphysics.
Calculated solution concentration of the outflow compares fairly well with the variation in the measured concentrations. Results showed that Cl is mainly released from halite which is totally removed in the washing stages. In addition our results showed that in stages 1, 2, and 3 about 0.04, 0.21, and 8.3% of Cu was extracted from sample respectively.

Keywords: reactive transport modeling; BIOMOre; insitu leaching

  • Lecture (Conference)
    Aachen International Mining Symposia (AIMS 2018), 23.-24.05.2018, Aachen, Germany

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-27311
Publ.-Id: 27311