Enhanced Metal Recovery

Nearly 30% of the world’s gold production is from heap leaching operations − 236 metric tons gold/yr (Marsden, 2006). Thus, heap leaching is an important hydrometallurgical process for the mining industry. Mature heap leach pads may retain 6-8 % of the recoverable metal values even after the final rinse operation. A heap is defined as mature herein when the ore is no longer being placed on the pad. This is usually due to achievement of the permitted maximum height, or the mine discontinuing ore mining. The stacked ore has a variety of local void spaces and volumes of material that are compacted. The heap may also contain zones where the chemistry may affect the quality of the drain-down solution as meteoric water passes through the pad. Hydro-Jex is a 3-D leach technology invented to recover the stranded metal inventory from the pad while reducing the heap rinse time and changing the chemistry of targeted zones. This technology is used widely in the United States and is available to aid operators worldwide during leaching and rinsing before heap leach closure.

Most heap leach operations, nearing theend of their life, trapped significant metal inventory that will be harvested using JEX services.

more metal, faster

JEX services implements technology and technique to accelerate heap leach processes and operations. Producing more metal volume and a faster rate.

Release trapped inventory

JEX services optimize gold, silver, and copper heaps for wetting, drainage, and stability. The technique disrupts dry pockets, poor drainage and in process provides better drainage to clandestine metal, which has never been wetted.

Release Trapped Solution

JEX services are also designed to disrupt pockets of trapped solution. Most heaps face issues of inefficient drainage and millions of gallons of pregnant solution may be trapped in the heap at any given time.

The patented technology has advanced geophysical technologies to a new standard with new innovative opportunities for readically improved secondary metal recovery in the mining industry within heap leach operations for gold, silver, and copper.

Let’s get started

Interested in JEX services?
Start with your heap assessment.

Click here and fill our short heap survey to get us familiar with your heap, operations, issues and challenges.