Leaching

Leaching is a process in chemistry and environmental science that involves the extraction of substances from a solid by dissolving them in a liquid, either naturally or through an industrial process. In the chemical processing industry, leaching has a variety of commercial applications, including separation of metal from ore using acid, and sugar from sugar beets using hot water.

Types of Leaching[edit | edit source]

Leaching can occur in two ways: In-situ leaching and Heap leaching.

In-situ Leaching[edit | edit source]

In-situ leaching, also known as in-situ recovery, is a mining process used to recover minerals such as copper and uranium through boreholes drilled into a deposit, in situ. The process initially involves the drilling of holes into the ore deposit.

Heap Leaching[edit | edit source]

Heap leaching is an industrial mining process used to extract precious metals, copper, uranium, and other compounds from ore using a series of chemical reactions that absorb specific minerals and re-separate them after their division from other earth materials.

Environmental Impact[edit | edit source]

Leaching is a process that can have significant environmental impacts. The leaching of heavy metals such as mercury can lead to water contamination, posing a risk to aquatic life and human health.

References[edit | edit source]

Leaching Resources
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