Prediction of Oxidation
SRK staff have specialised in analysing field data to determine rates of oxidation, identify variations in material oxidation characteristics from oxygen and temperature profiles and predict future dump behaviour.
SRK has the software SULFIDOX, which is a two-dimensional finite difference heap leaching code that models the oxidation of sulfidic material. SULFIDOX describes a three phase system consisting of a rigid solid porous phase through which flow gas and water phases. It models oxygen transport and depletion, heat transport and production, and reactant depletion in the solid phase. Using chemical kinetics, it also models the oxidation of minerals such as sulfidic material, and the dissolution of other mineral phases, such as carbonate and silicate minerals, present within the heap. Mass is transported in the aqueous phase and equilibrium is incorporated by the inclusion of a geochemical speciation module. This allows secondary mineralisation reactions to be considered.
Our clients have used our capabilities to:
- provide evidence of the distribution of oxygen in heap leach piles
- understand risks associated with waste rock dumps and tailings storage facilities
- estimate the sulfate load produced each year
- demonstrate the effectives of covers placed over waste rock
- quantify likely outcomes of various scenarios for presentation to regulators