Atomredmetzoloto JSC, Moscow, Russia:

I. N. Solodov, Director of Innovative and Technological Development Programs, Doctor of Geological
an d Mineralogical Science, INSolodov@armz.ru

VNIPIpromtekhnologii JSC, Moscow, Russia:

P. Yu. Vasilevsky, Chief Specialist, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia:

V. N. Samartsev, Leading Engineer

Khiagda JSC, Chita, Russia:

T. R. Kargin, Production Manager

The ore bodies in the Vitim uranium ore province are nonuniformly encroached with groundwater. The weakly watered ore-bearing areas are unsuitable for the in-situ leaching at admissible economic performances. In this connection, as a case-study of Khiagda deposit, a geo-permeation model has been constructed to identify the highly and weakly watered areas in the local ore bodies. Using a digital hydrodynamic model, the technology is developed for re-distributing groundwater between the highly and weakly watered ore-bearing sites. The groundwater management technology based on the geopermeation model in combination with the model of ore body X4 (insert model) has helped finding solutions to some specific problems of concern: the source of flooding is detected in a highly watered area at the bottom of ore body X3 treated by in-situ leaching (ISL); the gradual flooding strategy is selected for ore body X3; the volume of the flooding solutions is determined; the flooding process duration is calculated. The calculations prove economic profitability of the developed technology. The profitability is achieved owing to the scenario of series flooding of operating blocks through wells to be producing later on (the cost of the well construction is not included in the finance-and-economic model), as well as due to the enhanced productivity of operating ISL cells up to the project level and recycling of sulfuric acid and oxidizer (FeIII) taken from residual sulfuric solutions from depleted operating blocks. It is proposed to continue testing the technology after retrofitting of a testing ground with instrumentation.

The authors appreciate participation of the Chief Specialist of Promtekhnologii JSC I. N. Dedyulin in this study.

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