The Technology: How it Works

See Hydro-Jex® in action

Hydro-Jex® is a broadly patented and proprietary set of hardware, software, trade secrets, chemistry and implementation procedures designed to help gold, silver and copper heaps operate more effectively, safely and sustainably.

Without Hydro-Jex®

  • Leaching fluid forms channels along the paths of least resistance

  • Substantial amounts of clandestine metal are trapped in “dry zones” of the pad

  • Pockets of trapped solution form when clay and other materials create impermeable barriers, destabilizing the heap

  • “Sour zones” in the heap lower the pH of the wetting solution  (in the case of gold leaching) or consume acid (in the case of copper leaching), inhibiting metal recovery

  • A significant percentage of metals in the heap are written off as unrecoverable

With Hydro-Jex®

  • Leaching fluid is spread evenly through the pad using  tailored pressure horizontal injection

  • Dry zones are eliminated, enabling fluid to reach more of the metal in the pad

  • The pressure injection disrupts and releases pockets of trapped solution for enhanced heap stability and metal recovery

  • The process also corrects the negative effects of sour zones

  • As a result, metal from up to billions of additional tons of material can be recovered

The Hydro-Jex® Process

  • Heap pads can contain millions of tons of copper or gold ores.

  • Placement is based on metallurgical data for optimal stability and metal recovery.

  • This creates thousands of injection points inside the heap.

  • The Hydro-Jex® system is capable of injecting 10-15 times more solution per hour than conventional surface irrigation and spreads the solution evenly throughout the material being injected, creating horizontal pathways.

  • Fluids flow into a recovery pond for collection and processing.

  • With Hydro-Jex®, mining companies can claim significantly more metal than is possible with conventional irrigation methods.

  • This minimizes chemical usage and environmental impact.

When all metal is recovered, cleaning solutions can be injected to neutralize the remaining chemicals and stabilize the pad.

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