Patent ID: 8186607

Claim:
A system for delivery of a leach solution to an ore heap in the process of percolation leaching, the system comprising: at least one main conduit for leach solution delivery from a reservoir; a surface solution delivery system connected to the at least one main conduit comprising a plurality of surface emitters distributed over at least a portion of a surface of the ore heap; and a sub-surface delivery system connected to the at least one main conduit for leach solution delivery to at least a portion of the ore heap below the surface of the ore heap, the sub-surface delivery system comprising: a plurality of sub-surface solution applicators configured to extend a predetermined distance into the ore heap to deliver leach solution into the ore heap through a plurality of delivery points, wherein each of the plurality of sub-surface solution applicators is capable of emitting leach solution over a range of operating pressures preselected as a function of hydraulic properties of the ore heap, wherein an initial operating pressure for each of the plurality of sub-surface solution applicators is preselected as a function of initial hydraulic properties of the ore heap, and wherein an instantaneous operating pressure of each of the plurality of sub-surface solution applicators varies in response to variations in the hydraulic properties of the ore heap.