Heap leaching technology – current state, innovations and future directions: A review

Copyright © 2015 Taylor & Francis. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review on 20 November 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/08827508.2015.1115990Heap leaching is a well-established extractive metallurgical technology enabling the economical processing of various kinds of low-grade ores, which could not otherwise be exploited. However, despite much progress since it was first applied in recent times, the process remains limited by low recoveries and long extraction times. It is becoming increasingly clear that the choice of heap leaching as a suitable technology to process a particular mineral resource, which is both environmentally sound and economically viable, very much depends on having a comprehensive understanding of the underlying fundamental mechanisms of the processes and how they interact with the particular mineralogy of the ore body under consideration. This paper provides an introduction to the theoretical background of various heap leach processes, offers a scientific and patent literature overview on technology developments in commercial heap leaching operations around the world, identifies factors that drive the selection of heap leaching as a processing technology, describes challenges to exploiting these innovations, and concludes with a discussion on the future of heap leaching.South Africa Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) - Chair in Mineral BeneficiationNational Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa - Research Niche Area (RNA) gran