At Heathgate we are Accelerating Innovation, Delivering the Future.
Heathgate Resources
Heathgate is Australia's leader in responsible and innovative uranium mining, powering a cleaner energy world.
We are proud of our approach to non-invasive mining. Over the years, ISR mining has evolved into a technology driven method for uranium mining. ?Here are some interesting facts about In-Situ Recovery (ISR) mining.
'In-situ’ is a Latin term meaning ‘in place’. ISR mining gets its name from the fact that minerals are extracted from their original location underground.
Minimal Surface Disturbance: ?The ISR mining method has very little surface disturbance, which is important for our ecosystem. ?After the mining is complete, the mined area is restored to its original pre-mining condition.
Ground Water: One of the key challenges in mining is ensuring the protection of ground water resources. ISR mining recycles ground water used in mining and processing around 100 times in a closed loop circuit, resulting in significantly reduced water used, compared to other mining methods. Rigorous monitoring and engineering methods are implemented to ensure we sustainably conserve and care for the aquifers.
Energy Use: Australia is on the journey to Net Zero carbon emissions. We are proud that ISR mining method uses around 30% of the energy consumption of conventional mining and are exploring ways to continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Geological Suitability: ISR mining is most effective when the ore body is porous, allowing the solutions to flow through the rock and dissolve the mineral. Geological and hydrogeological characteristics play a crucial role in determining the feasibility of ISR mining.
Research and Innovation: Continual research and innovation is aimed at improving productivity and environmental sustainability. Making it an area of ongoing evolution.
ISR mining Process Engineer, Project Management, MAusIMM
1 年ISR is indeed the future of mining. We, as a society, need to invest in applying this technique to extract other crucial metals with minimal impact to environment and meet our ESG commitments. Well written article