Patent ID: 8728198

Claim:
A method of recovering metals from previously heap leached ore, the method comprising: providing a supply of previously heap leached ore containing moisture, the ore having been previously leached in an ore heap with a first process fluid so that a substantial portion of dissolved metals in the ore is removed from the ore, but a remaining portion of dissolved metal remains trapped in the ore; providing a tank having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion has an inlet and the bottom portion has an outlet; delivering a second process fluid to the tank, the second process fluid being water adapted to remove at least a portion of the remaining portion of dissolved metal trapped in the heap leached ore, the water being substantially void of ore, the water being introduced into the tank distal from the outlet of the bottom portion of the tank; delivering the supply of previously heap leached ore, including the remaining portion of dissolved metal trapped in the heap leached ore, into the tank through the inlet in the top portion of the tank, the previously heap leached ore being introduced into the tank distal from the outlet of the bottom portion of the tank; disrupting a downward flow path of the previously heap leached ore through the tank; washing the remaining portion of dissolved metal trapped in the heap leached ore with the water to produce a pregnant solution, the pregnant solution, the water and a previously heap leached or admixture traveling downwardly in a direction generally from the top portion of the tank toward the bottom portion of the tank during said washing; ejecting the pregnant solution, the water and the previously heap leached ore admixture from the tank via the outlet in the bottom portion of the tank; transporting the pregnant solution, the water and the previously heap leached ore admixture from the tank to a location apart from the tank; and separating the at least a portion of the remaining portion of dissolved metal trapped in the heap leached ore from the pregnant solution.