DUMP HEAP LEACHING SYSTEMS: ENGINEERING DESIGN, HYDRODYNAMICS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/4w2dd058Palabras clave:
Dump leaching; Heap leaching; Percolation leaching; Hydrometallurgy; Low-grade ores; Mine waste processingResumen
Dump leaching remains one of the earliest and most cost-effective hydrometallurgical methods for extracting metals from low-grade ores and mine waste; however, its industrial relevance is increasingly limited by fundamental issues in fluid dynamics, metallurgical efficiency, and environmental impact. This review critically assesses the engineering design, fluid flow behavior, and leaching chemistry shaping dump leaching systems, with emphasis on how heterogeneity, preferential flow, and poor solution distribution affect recovery efficiency. While traditional operations report metal recoveries generally below those achieved in modern heap leaching systems, recent innovations—including bioleaching integration, geotechnical monitoring, and reprocessing of old dumps—have partly reduced these limitations. The analysis points out that the main obstacle is not just leaching kinetics but the interaction between hydraulic movement and reactive interfaces within large, unstructured ore masses. Additionally, environmental concerns like acid drainage and groundwater pollution remain key barriers to sustainable use. The review suggests that dump leaching should not stand alone as a future technology but rather serve as a transitional or supplementary method combined with controlled heap leaching and advanced monitoring to enhance recovery and environmental safety.
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