Comprehensive borehole solution mining design for trona mines

Abstract:

This paper presents a comprehensive borehole solution mining methodology in light of the geology and production at the Turkish Kazan trona mine in order to reduce mining costs, make full use of mineral resources, and solve some problems with the existing mining process. A borehole solution mining process has been designed by determining the various parameters and principle of the well layout. The process combines a variety of mining forms and well group types, such as horizontal well, branch wells, fractured wells, close-loop circulation single well and so on.

Key words:trona mine; solution mining; borehole; horizontal well; multilateral well; process design