Wetting front migration model of ion-adsorption rare earth during the multi-hole unsaturated liquid injection

In the process of ion-adsorption rare earth ore leaching,the migration characteristics of the wetting front in multi-hole injection holes and the influence of wetting front intersection effect on the migration distance of wetting fronts are still unclear.Besides,wetting front migration distance and leaching time are usually required to optimize the leaching process.In this study,wetting front migration tests of ionadsorption rare earth ores during the multi-hole fluid injection(the spacing between injection holes was 10 cm,12 cm and 14 cm)and single-hole fluid injection were completed under the constant water head height.At the pre-intersection stage,the wetting front migration laws of ion-adsorption rare earth ores during the multi-hole fluid injection and single-hole fluid injection were identical.At the postintersection stage,the intersection accelerated the wetting front migration.By using the Darcy’s law,the intersection effect of wetting fronts during the multi-hole liquid injection was transformed into the water head height directly above the intersection.Finally,based on the Green-Ampt model,a wetting front migration model of ion-adsorption rare earth ores during the multi-hole unsaturated liquid injection was established.Error analysis results showed that the proposed model can accurately simulate the infiltration process under experimental conditions.The research results enrich the infiltration law and theory of ion-adsorption rare earth ores during the multi-hole liquid injection,and this study provides a scientific basis for optimizing the liquid injection well pattern parameters of ion-adsorption rare earth in situ leaching in the future.

Effect of the in situ leaching solution of ion-absorbed rare earth on the mechanical behavior of basement rock

A clear understanding of the evolution characteristics of leaching solution’s damage to the basement rock of ion-adsorbed rare earth deposits is essential in the in situ leaching mining.In this study,some laboratory tests were carried out to investigate the deterioration behavior and failure mechanism of rock under the erosion of leaching solution.For this purpose,granite specimens were soaked in the leaching solution for different periods and then some physical and mechanical parameters were measured.The experimental results show that the strength of the rock without any soaking is the maximum.After 60 d,the rock strength,mass(dry)and P-wave velocity(dry)decrease to the minimum,while the porosity of the specimens reaches the maximum.Moreover,the failure pattern of the specimens in the uniaxial compression tests is affected as the soaking time increases.The scanning electron microscopy(SEM)image results indicate that the erosion of quartz crystals inside the rock specimens gets more intense with the increase of soaking time.Also,the internal crystal failure mode gradually changes from the trans-granular to the inter-granular.The insights gained from this study are helpful for better understanding the evolution characteristics of leaching solution’s damage to the basement rock of ionadsorbed rare earth deposits.