Abstract
Enhanced method for borehole mining comprising: drilling a borehole using a low-frequency pulsing sonic, hydraulic mining system including a pulsed jet assembly; inserting casing into the borehole above target deposit depth; inserting and rotating assembly into the casing with a sub-coupling and a shoe rock bit positioned below the casing; pumping fluid into the borehole; evaluating slurry at surface; fracturing and disaggregating materials at target deposit with pulsing jets from the sub-coupling and rock bit causing light slurry to flow upwardly to the annulus between the borehole casing and the downhole assembly, then upwardly through the annulus to the surface of the borehole thereby causing heavy slurry to concentrate in a sump, located below the pulse jet rock bit; continuing to form cavity at target location; removing pulsed jet assembly from borehole; running core barrel to extract heavy slurry from sump; analyzing slurry to determine whether to continue with operation.
Claims
1. An enhanced method for borehole mining, separating and extracting heavy and light minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit comprising the steps of: a. drilling a borehole using a low-frequency pulsing sonic and hydraulic mining system including a downhole pulsed jetting assembly; b. inserting at least one length of borehole casing having an inner surface into the borehole above depth of the target deposit; c. inserting and rotating said downhole pulsed jetting assembly into said borehole casing with a sub-coupling and a pulsed jetting shoe rock bit both positioned below said borehole casing; d. pumping fluid into the borehole; e. monitoring light slurry at surface of the borehole and evaluating content of light slurry and density of the light slurry; f. fracturing, agitating and disaggregating materials at the target deposit with pulsed jets from pulsed jetting nozzles in said sub-coupling and with pulsed jets from pulsed jetting nozzles in said pulsed jetting shoe rock bit causing light slurry to flow upwardly to an annulus formed between the inner surface of said borehole casing and outside of said downhole pulsed jet assembly, then upwardly through said annulus to the surface of the borehole thereby causing heavy slurry to concentrate in a sump, said sump being located below said pulsed jetting shoe rock bit; g. continuing to fracture, agitate and disaggregate materials according to step f to form a cavity at the target deposit; h. removing said downhole pulsed jetting assembly from the borehole and running a core barrel to extract heavy slurry that is concentrated in said sump; i. analyzing the heavy slurry and the light slurry to determine whether to repeat steps a through h.
2. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1 wherein step f also includes using a sub-coupling having pulsed jetting nozzles together with said pulsed jetting shoe rock bit.
3. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1 wherein at least one eductor coupling is positioned in said downhole pulsed jetting assembly to enhance upward flow of light slurry to the surface of the borehole.
4. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1 wherein after step g, continuing to fracture, agitate and disaggregate materials according to step f to form a generally spherical shaped cavity at the target deposit.
5. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1 including the additional step of moving light slurry from a catch box at the surface of the borehole to a processing system to separate water, minerals, gems and metals obtained from the target deposit.
6. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1 including the following additional steps after step i: j. inserting at least one additional length of borehole casing into the borehole below ceiling of said cavity, including adding a plurality of eductor couplings into said downhole pulsed jetting assembly; k. inserting said downhole pulsed jetting assembly into the borehole and through said borehole casing; and l. repeating steps a through i until it is determined that the target deposit does not contain sufficient target mineral to justify continuing operation.
7. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 3 wherein said method includes the additional step of contacting an outer surface of at least one eductor on said at least one eductor coupling to the inner surface of said borehole casing to at least partially close the outer surface of said at least one eductor to enhance the upward vacuum of light slurry in said annulus between the inner surface of said borehole casing and the outside of said downhole pulsed jet assembly from the target deposit to the surface.
8. A method for mining minerals, gems and metals from a target deposit according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the additional step of maintaining and monitoring a substantially high hydrostatic level of the borehole and cavity to enhance eductor coupling function and light slurry hydraulic extraction and to resist cavity ceiling subsidence of said cavity.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a partial sectional front view of the inventive sonically pulsed apparatus for sonically jet mining a subsurface mineral site, including fluid flow for jetting excavation and simultaneous jetting eductor coupling extraction functions.
(2) FIG. 1A is a sectional view taken on line 1A-1A of FIG. 1.
(3) FIG. 1B is a side view of a sonic rod string that includes multiple sonic rods and one or more eductor couplings
(4) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical inventive pulsed jetting eductor coupling member, with a partial section showing jetting nozzles with vacuum and diffusing chambers profiled. Also shown are optional guidevanes.
(5) FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. 2.
(6) FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2.
(7) FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along line 2C-2C of FIG. 2.
(8) FIG. 2D is a sectional view taken along line 2D-2D of FIG. 2.
(9) FIG. 2E is a sectional view of the pulsed jetting eductor coupling taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. 2 and a sectional view of borehole casing. The diffusing chamber of an eductor on the eductor coupling is shown in contact with the inner wall of the borehole casing.
(10) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a typical inventive pulsed jetting eductor coupling member, with a partial section showing jetting nozzles with vacuum and diffusing chambers profiled.
(11) FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line 3A-3A of FIG. 3.
(12) FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3.
(13) FIG. 3C is a sectional view taken along line 3C-3C of FIG. 3.
(14) FIG. 3D is a sectional view taken along line 3D-3D of FIG. 3.
(15) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a typical inventive pulsed jetting sub-coupling member, with a partial section showing diametrically opposed nozzles and guidevanes for sonically pulsing coherent hydraulic streams for optimizing target mineral excavation.
(16) FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 4 showing guidevanes in line with pulsed jetting nozzles.
(17) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a typical inventive pulsed jetting sub-coupling member, with a partial section showing diametrically opposed nozzles and guidevanes for sonically pulsing coherent hydraulic streams for optimizing range for mineral target excavation.
(18) FIG. 5A is a sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 5 showing guidevanes offset 90 degrees from pulsed jetting nozzles.
(19) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typical inventive pulsed transition rod member that attaches the sonic rod string above to the pulsed jetting sub-coupling below, with a partial section showing guidevanes that may be incorporated to help reduce turbulence and optimize pulsed coherent water jet production by the attached sub-coupling short nozzle members.
(20) FIG. 6A is a sectional view taken along line 6A-6A of FIG. 6.
(21) FIG. 7 is a perspective view with a partial section of a typical pulsed jetting rock shoe bit member with a centrally located jetting nozzle and two crushing plates that facilitate boulder breaking and general slurry agitation and sump concentration of heavy mining slurry.
(22) FIG. 7A is a sectional view taken along line 7A-7A of FIG. 7.
(23) FIG. 8 is a side view of the inventive pulsed jetting mining apparatus assembly in a borehole before sonic pulsed jetting mining begins.
(24) FIG. 9 is a side view of the inventive pulsed jetting mining apparatus assembly with an attached eductor coupling as shown in FIG. 8 but at a later time having started mining excavation with sonic jet pulsing and slurry recovery.
(25) FIG. 10 is a side view of the inventive pulsed jetting mining apparatus with an attached eductor coupling as shown in FIG. 9 but at a later time, after mining for a significant time.
(26) FIG. 11 is a side view of the mining site as shown in FIG. 10 at a later time, with a sonic core barrel now inserted into the mining site sump to extract heavy particulates not extracted by the inventive eductor coupling.
(27) FIG. 12 is a side view with the inventive pulsed jetting mining apparatus reinserted into the mining site as shown in FIG. 9 but at a later time than FIG. 11, and with a mining cavity that can develop slurry density layering.
(28) FIG. 13 is a side view of innovative method with modification of inventive pulsed jetting mining apparatus as shown in FIG. 12 but at a later time showing an efficient alternative embodiment using pulsed jetting mining with deep mining cavities and slurry density layering.
(29) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the inventive borehole pulsed jetting mining operation illustrating relative positions of downhole components and surface mining equipment and apparatus that support the borehole mining operation.
(30) FIG. 15 is a partial sectional side view of the inventive sonically pulsed apparatus for sonically jet mining a subsurface mineral site, including optional guidevanes and fluid flow for jetting excavation and simultaneous jetting eductor coupling extraction functions.
(31) FIG. 15A is a sectional view taken along line 15A-15A of FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(32) The following table lists the part numbers and part descriptions as used herein and in the figures attached hereto:
(33) TABLE-US-00001 Part Number: Description: S Inventive sonic pulsed jetting system 12 Pulsed jetting shoe rock bit 12a Upper end of rock bit 13 Pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13a Threaded upper end of sub-coupling 13b Threaded lower end of sub-coupling 14 Transition rod 14a Threaded upper end of transition rod 14b Threaded lower end of transition rod 14c Upper inner diameter of transition rod 14d Lower inner diameter of transition rod 15 Sonic rod 15a Sonic rod string (multiple sonic rods) 16 Pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16a Threaded upper end of eductor coupling 16b Threaded lower end of eductor coupling 17 Fluid column and flow direction of high-pressure and high-volume fluid 18 Sonic drill head spindle 19 Adapter attaching sonic rod string to the sonic drill head spindle 20 Sinusoidal waves propagated by oscillating parts of the sonic drill head 21 Sonic wave expansion and contraction of a sonic rod 22 Pulsing energy transferred by interfacing to high-pressure liquid column 23 Sub-coupling pulsed jetting nozzle 23a Sub-coupling pulsed jetting nozzle inlet 23b Sub-coupling pulsed jetting nozzle outlet 24 Shoe rock bit pulsed jetting nozzle 25 Eductor coupling pulsed jetting nozzle 25a Eductor coupling pulsed jetting nozzle inlet 25b Eductor coupling pulsed jetting nozzle outlet 26 Subterranean pulsed jetting mining excavated cavity 26a Cavity ceiling 26b Cavity floor 27 Casing string's bottom end 28 Annulus space between the sonic rod string and casing 29 Casing 29a Inner surface of casing 30 Casing collar 31 Ground level 32 Slurry E Eductor formed from eductor coupling vacuum chamber, vacuum chamber taper and eductor coupling diffusing chamber 33 Eductor coupling vacuum chamber 33a Vacuum chamber taper 34 Mineral target being cut by pulsed fluidic jetting streams 35 Pulsed jetting stream 36 Eductor coupling diffusing chamber 37 High-pressure fluid flowing through a sonic rod 38 Oscillating sonic drill head 39 Sump for collecting large, heavy slurry for core barrel retrieval to surface 40 Slurry catch box 41 Pump actuator 41a Water level sensor connected to casing collar 42 Sump slurry concentrate 43 Tower of the sonic drill rig supporting the sonic head 44 High-pressure fluid conduit 45 High-pressure/high-volume flow fluid pump 46 One-way check valve 47 Pressure release valve 48 High-volume main slurry pump 49 Slurry conduit flowing to accessory slurry pump and slurry box 50 Slurry box on processing platform 51 Hydrostatic maintenance conduit connecting annulus to reserve reservoir 52 Hydrostatic maintenance high-volume low pressure pump 53 Hydrocyclone/screen water clarification member 54 Clarified water conduit with high-volume, low-pressure pump 55 Main water reservoir 56 Cistern on processing platform 57 Processing platform with sluice, jigs, screens, gravity concentrator 58 Sonic drill rig 59 Collapsible water reservoir 60 Discharge gravel gangue 61 Uncased borehole 62 Slurry lift 63 Water swivel 64 Rotation 65 Guidevane to assist flow performance in line with pulsed jetting nozzle 65a Guidevane to assist flow performance offset 90 from pulsed jetting nozzle 66 Shoe rock bit crusher plate 67 Sonic core barrel
Inventive Apparatus
(34) Refer now to FIG. 1 in which a partial cross-sectional view of the inventive pulsed jetting system S is shown in a mining site. An oscillating sonic drill head 38 is shown at the top of the inventive pulsed jetting system S. An adapter 19 is threadedly connected to the lower end of the sonic drill head 38. A sonic rod 15 is threadedly connected to the lower end of the adapter 19. When multiple sonic rods 15 are connected together, a sonic rod string 15a is formed as shown in FIG. 1B. In a sonic rod string 15a, one or more eductor couplings 16 can be included and normally an eductor coupling 16 is connected between each two sonic rods 15. A pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 is attached below the sonic rod 15 or sonic rod string 15a if multiple sonic rods 15 are used. A sonic rod 15 or rod string 15a is threadedly connected to the lower end of the eductor coupling 16. A transition rod 14 is threadedly connected to the lowermost sonic rod 15. A pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13 is threadedly connected to the lower end of the transition rod 14. A pulsed jetting shoe rock bit 12 is threadedly connected to the lower end of the sub-coupling 13.
(35) Each component of the inventive pulsed jetting system S will now be described in detail before the overall functionality of the system is explained. A perspective view of an inventive pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 is shown in FIG. 2. The eductor coupling 16 is typically 8-20 inches long and is constructed of a metallic or nonmetallic material. The eductor coupling 16 includes a threaded upper end 16a and a threaded lower end 16b. An eductor E is formed on the outer surface of the eductor coupling 16. Each eductor E comprises a vacuum chamber 33 and a diffusing chamber 36. The vacuum chamber 33 and diffusing chamber 36 are joined with a vacuum chamber taper 33a. The vacuum chamber taper 33a is narrower than either the vacuum chamber 33 or the diffusing chamber 36. One or more eductor coupling 16 pulsed jetting nozzles 25 include an inlet 25a and an outlet 25b. The outlet 25b of the pulsed jetting nozzles 25 is typically positioned below the vacuum chamber 33 of the eductor E. The pulsed jetting nozzles 25 are convergent in shape such that the outlet 25b diameter is smaller than the inlet 25a diameter. Typically, three eductors E with corresponding three pulsed jetting nozzles 25 are included on the eductor coupling 16. The pulsed jetting nozzles 25 are angled upwardly from about 5 to 20 from vertical. Both the inlet 25a and outlet 25b are between 0.01-0.35 inches in diameter, but the inlet 25a is larger than the outlet 25b. Optional guidevanes 65 are internal to the eductor coupling 16 and assist with the laminar flow guidance of the high-pressure fluid 37 flowing through the eductor coupling 16. The guidevane 65 height is approximately one-hundredth to one-half of the internal diameter of the eductor coupling 16 and the guidevanes 65 are generally triangular in cross section. Guidevanes 65 are shown in FIG. 2A on the section view that is taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. 2. The diffusing chamber 36 is shown in line with the guidevanes 65. Guidevanes 65 are also shown in FIG. 2B on the section view that is taken along 2B-2B of FIG. 2. The vacuum chamber 33 is shown in line with the guidevanes 65.
(36) FIG. 2C is a sectional view taken along line 2C-2C from FIG. 2. In FIG. 2C the guidevanes 65 are shown in line with the pulsed jetting nozzles 25.
(37) FIG. 2D is a sectional view taken along line 2D-2D from FIG. 2. In FIG. 2D a portion of the pulsed jets 25 on the interior of the eductor coupling 16 are shown.
(38) In FIG. 3 an eductor coupling 16 is shown in which no guidevanes 65 are present. Guidevanes 65 are an optional feature.
(39) FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line 3A-3A from FIG. 3. FIG. 3A is identical to FIG. 2A except that guidevanes 65 are not present.
(40) FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line 3B-3B from FIG. 3. FIG. 3B is identical to FIG. 2B except that guidevanes 65 are not present.
(41) FIG. 3C is a sectional view taken along line 3C-3C from FIG. 3. FIG. 3C is identical to FIG. 2C except that guidevanes 65 are not present.
(42) FIG. 3D is a sectional view taken along line 3D-3D from FIG. 3. FIG. 3D is identical to FIG. 2D.
(43) A perspective view is shown in FIG. 4 of a typical inventive pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13, with a partial section showing diametrically opposed nozzles 23 and optional guidevanes 65 for sonically pulsing coherent hydraulic streams for optimizing target mineral excavation. The sub-coupling 13 is typically 4-12 inches long and is constructed of a metallic or nonmetallic material. The nozzles 23 are typically 0.3-1.0 inches in diameter and the diameter of the inlet 23a is as much as 40 times the diameter of the exit 23b. The guidevanes 65 height is to 1/100 the inner diameter dimension of the sub-coupling 13. Internal threads are provided to attach the upper end 13a of the sub-coupling 13 to the lower end 14b of the transition rod 14 and external threads are provided to attach the lower end 13b of the sub-coupling 13 to the upper end 12a of the rock bit 12.
(44) FIG. 5 shows a sub-coupling 13 in which optional guidevanes 65 are each positioned 90 degrees away from pulsed jetting nozzles 23.
(45) FIG. 5A shows a sectional view of sub-coupling 13 taken along line 5A-5A from FIG. 5. The guidevanes 65a in FIG. 5A are each positioned 90 degrees away from jets 23.
(46) A perspective view is shown in FIG. 6 of a typical inventive pulsed transition rod 14. The transition rod 14 includes a threaded upper end 14a that attaches to the lower end of the rod string 15a and a threaded lower end 14b that attaches to the upper end 13a of the sub-coupling 13. The inner bore of the transition rod 14 tapers with a frustum shape such that the upper inner diameter 14c of the transition rod 14 at the upper end 14a is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the sub-coupling 13 and the inner diameter 14d of the transition rod 14 at the lower end 14b is substantially the same inner diameter of the sub-coupling 13. Optional guidevanes 65 are shown internal to the transition rod 14 and the triangular cross-sectional profile of the guidevanes 65 can be seen in FIG. 6A.
(47) A perspective view is shown in FIG. 7 of a typical inventive pulsed jetting rock shoe bit 12 with a centrally located jetting nozzle 24 and two crushing plates 66 that facilitate boulder breaking and general slurry agitation and sump concentration of heavy mining slurry. Also shown in FIG. 7 are optional guidevanes 65 which direct flow 17 downwardly. The triangular cross-sectional profile of the guidevane 65 can be seen in FIG. 7A.
(48) Referring again to FIG. 1, the downhole components of the inventive sonic pulsed jetting system S comprise the pulsed jetting shoe rock bit 12, the pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13, the transition rod 14, at least one sonic rod 15 (multiple sonic rods comprise a rod string 15a) and a pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16. The fluid column and flow direction of high-pressure and high-volume fluid is shown at 17. The high-pressure and high-volume fluid 17 flows through the water swivel 63 and down the bore of the downhole components of the inventive system S at 37. The oscillating sonic drill head 38 produce sinusoidal waves 20 which propagate down and through each of the downhole components of the inventive sonic pulsed jetting system S. As the high-pressure fluid 37 passes down the bore of the downhole components of the inventive sonic pulsed jetting system S, the high-pressure fluid 37 is forced out of the eductor coupling pulsed jetting nozzles 25, the sub-coupling convergent pulsed jetting nozzles 23, and the shoe rock bit's convergent pulsed jetting nozzle 24. A pulsed jetting stream 35 is generated below the shoe rock bit's 12 convergent pulsed jetting nozzle 24. Slurry 32 is forced upwardly in the annulus 28 between the downhole components of the inventive system S and the casing 29.
(49) In an important aspect of the invention, as shown section in FIG. 2E, the outer surface 16c of an eductor E of an eductor coupling 16 including the vacuum chamber 33 (not shown) the diffusing chamber 36 and the vacuum chamber taper 33a (not shown) make contact with the inner surface 29a of the casing 29. The contact occurs because downhole components of the sonic pulsed jetting system S is flexible along its length such that the individual components of the downhole components of the sonic pulsed jetting system S, including each eductor E, are free to move laterally within the casing 29. Typically, the outer surface 16c of only a single eductor E will contact the inner surface 29a of the casing 29 at any given point in time. When the outer surface 16c of an eductor E makes contact with the inner surface 29a of the casing 29 upwardly flowing slurry lift 62 (best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) passes from the vacuum chamber 33 through the vacuum chamber taper 33a, then through the diffusing chamber 36. The eductor E produces a Venturi effect which causes the flow of the upwardly flowing slurry lift 62 to accelerate as it passes into and through the diffusing chamber 36.
(50) Eductor couplings 16 can be added intermittently between sonic rods 15 in the sonic rod string 15a as desired to facilitate slurry lift to the surface through the annulus 28 from the mining cavity 26 using the Venturi effect.
(51) In another important aspect and referring to FIG. 14, when the combined energy from at least one pressurizing water pump 45 with the sonic drill head 38 is in fluidic communication with the bore of the sonic pulsed jetting system S, the pulsing energy transferred by interfacing to the high-pressure liquid column 22 is propagated as pulsed jets through convergent jetting nozzles 23 (of the sub-coupling 13), jetting nozzles 24 (of the shoe rock bit 12), pulsed jetting nozzles 25 (of the eductor coupling 16) to generate a repetitive pulsing hydraulic jetting effect. The effect and efficiency of the combination of high-pressure, high-volume fluid flow in combination with the harmonics and vibration created with the sonic drill head 38 that creates hydraulic pulses through the convergent jetting nozzles 23, 24 25 has been tested and proven through experimentation by the inventors.
(52) FIG. 15 is a partial sectional side view of the inventive sonic pulsed jetting system in a subsurface mineral site, including fluid flow for jetting excavation and simultaneous jetting eductor coupling extraction functions. FIG. 15 is identical to FIG. 1 except in FIG. 15, optional guidevanes 65 are included in the eductor coupling 16, in the transition rod 14, in the sub-coupling 13 and in the rock bit 12. The s 65 reduce turbulence and generate significant jet impact fluxes for optimal rock breakage and disaggregation of target minerals.
Example of Transformation of Existing Sonic Drilling System into Low-Frequency Sonic Pulsed and Hydraulic Mining System
(53) With the inventive system and method an industrial well-proven sonic drill head and sonic drilling rig such as the Terra Sonic International TSi 150CC can be used in conjunction with a water reservoir, a high-pressure energy pumping member (e.g. Gould's model 3393 pump) that are in fluidic communication using high pressure conduits, check valves and sonic rods to the inventive pulsed jetting apparatus S. These are only examples of appropriate standard equipment known to the mining industry in prior art that can be used, not to be considered to limit the scope of this invention in the present or future, with the inventive pulsed jetting mining system S and method. The example sonic drilling equipment, or generally similar equipment, is required to supply adequate water volume and pressure to pass through the sonic drill head 38, through its spindle, attached to a sonic rod 15 or sonic rod string 15a to which is attached to the additional components of sonic pulsed jetting system S as more fully described above. Usually in the sonic drill head 38 there is at least one rotating eccentric mass mounted and mechanically activated in an inner housing to generate acoustic or vibrational energy waves, usually sinusoidal, that are propagated as energy wave pulses to the traversing conduit and attached tubular spindle and into the rod string 15a and throughout the inventive pulsed jetting apparatus S. Such energy wave propagation is prevented from returning through the contained water column 37 to the high-pressure water pump 45 by one or more check valves 46 in the high pressure fluid conduit 44 between the water pump 45 and the sonic drill head 38. Rotational and wave energy from the sonic drill head 38 is imparted to the spindle that is attached to the sonic rod 15 and the sonic rod string 15a with vibrations of the rotating eccentric mass being usually isolated from an outer housing of the sonic drill head 38, protecting the drill tower 43 and drill rig (See FIG. 14) from inordinate vibration and from dampening the energy transfer to the sonic rod string 15a and to the other components of the inventive pulsed jetting apparatus S.
Experiment Performed
(54) The inventors conducted an experiment, with the assistance Terra Sonic International, a sonic core drilling rig manufacturer in O.H., to evaluate the effectiveness of applicant's invention. The experiment demonstrated how energy waves that are propagated through a low-pressure water column as a semi-discrete to discrete pulsating stream of water moving through an elastic metal sonic drill rod attached at its top end by adaptor to a sonic rig's activated sonic drill head that oscillates at approximately 150 Hz, exit from the sonic rod's bottom end with pulsed, harmonic energy. The experiment provided strong evidence and support for the efficiency and effectiveness of the inventive system and method.
Aspects of the Inventive Method
(55) FIG. 8 through FIG. 14, illustrate a sequence of steps in an aspect of the inventive method using the inventive pulsed jetting system S described above.
(56) FIG. 8 depicts the beginning stage of pulsed jetting mining with preparation of a site for mining. At a chosen mining site where a valuable mineral deposit 34 has been discovered, a borehole has been drilled into ground 31 with a two casing 29 member string being emplaced so that the bottom end 27 of the casing 29 is just above a mineral target 34 with uncased borehole 61 being deeper than the cased borehole. The downhole components of the sonic pulsed jetting system S have been assembled and attached to a sonic drill rod string 15a comprised of multiple sonic rods 15, including a pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16, attached between two sonic rods 15. Normally, an eductor coupling 16 is threaded in place between consecutive sonic rods 15 to provide the desired lift in the annulus 28. The eductor coupling 16 is included and shown in hidden lines within the casing string 29 in the illustration. The sonic rod string 15a is attached on its bottom end to a transition rod 14, pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13 and a pulsed shoe rock bit 12. Also attached, but not shown, at the top end of the sonic rod string 15a is a sonic drill head 38 that is in communication with a high pressure water pump 45. The sonic rod string 15a and inventive pulsed jetting components have been inserted into and through the casing 29 and are in position to start mining. The annulus 28 and the slurry catch box 40 are empty because no water or other fluid has been introduced into the borehole.
(57) Further aspects of the invention are illustrated in FIG. 9, but at a later stage. The pulsed jetting mining process has started; it is a dynamic process as compared to the point in time as illustrated in FIG. 8. Pressurized water or other fluid 17 is being pumped into the mining site 26 through the sonic rod string 15a and the sonic rod string 15a and the other downhole components of the pulsed jetting mining system S is being rotated 64 and moved to generate maximum slurry production by the pulsed jetting mining system S, as monitored in part by the density of slurry 32 exiting the annulus 28 at the slurry catch box 40. The mining cavity 26 has begun to expand. The pulsed jetting nozzles 23 and 24 of the sub-coupling 13 and shoe rock bit 12; respectively, are fracturing and disaggregating mineral 34, agitating the slurry 32 and the concentrated heavy slurry 42 in the sump 39. The pulsed jetting nozzle 25 of the single pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 within the two section casing string 29 is facilitating moving slurry 32 to the slurry catch box 40.
(58) FIG. 10 illustrates aspects of the inventive method and depicts subterranean pulsed jetting mining of a target deposit 34, in a later stage of subsurface pulsed jetting mining than depicted in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 depicts using the same components as are described in FIG. 9, using pressurized sonically pulsed fluid 17, except the mining cavity 26 has been enlarged using the sonic drill rig to direct movements of the downhole components of the pulsed jetting mining system S, including rotation 64, pulsed jetting 35 and other sonically pulsed mining functions resulting in slurry 32 excavation and recovery, resulting in the extraction of a significant volume of targeted mineral 34 through the annulus 28 facilitated by an attached pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 with a mining cavity 26 forming into a general spherical shape as slurry 32 is progressively moved into and through the slurry catch box 40 and then to the processing plant or storage (best seen in FIG. 14). At approximately this stage of pulsed jetting mining the pulsed jetting process is halted for collection of the sump concentrate 42, in a remnant of the original borehole 61, also referred to as a sump member 39, with sump concentrate 42 to be recovered as illustrated in FIG. 11.
(59) FIG. 11 illustrates further aspects of the inventive method depicting subterranean pulsed jetting mining of a target deposit 34, in a later stage of subsurface pulsed jetting mining than depicted in FIG. 10. The uncased borehole 61, also referred to as the sump member 39, positioned in alignment and at a distance beneath the bottom end 27 of the casing 29, has filled during sonically pulsed jetting mining with heavy concentrate 42 resulting in the sump 39 containing a significant amount of heavy slurry concentrate 42, that requires extraction. With the downhole components of the sonic pulsed mining system S removed from the mining site cavity 26 and detached from the sonic drill head 38, a core barrel 67 and attachments are adaptably connected to the sonic drill head 38 and inserted into and through the two (or more) sections of casing 29 borehole to the deeper sump member 39 to remove the sump slurry concentrate 42, as seen through a cut out section of core barrel 67, while extending the sump member 39 deeper for further site mineral sample inspection and also to obtain a plug to minimize loss of any heavy concentrate with extraction of the sump slurry concentrate 42 to the surface. With recovery of the sump slurry concentrate 42 and sample for analysis it can be determined whether to continue mining deeper.
(60) FIG. 12 illustrates further aspects of the inventive method depicting subterranean pulsed jetting mining using oscillating pressurized liquid 17 of a target deposit 34, in a later stage of subsurface pulsed jetting mining than depicted in FIG. 11. In FIG. 12 the same equipment and tooling are reintroduced to the target mineral site 34 to resume mining as illustrated in FIG. 9. Pulsed jetting mining can be resumed. However, after generating a certain variable distance from ceiling 26a to floor 26b in the excavated mining cavity 26, the slurry 32 becomes less dense towards the ceiling 26a and is not lifted efficiently into the bottom end of the casing 27 where slurry 32 is lifted into the annulus 28 where it can be directly influenced by the siphoning effect of the eductors E on the pulsed jetting eductor couplings 16 in the annulus 28 to lift the slurry to the slurry catch box 40 on the surface. The distance that produces density layering will be dependent on a variety of factors and the single borehole recovery system and recovery will become less efficient when high slurry density cannot be maintained toward the cavity's 26 ceiling 26a. This situation is remedied with the inventive sonically pulsed jetting system and method as illustrated in FIG. 13.
(61) FIG. 13, illustrates further aspects of the inventive pulsed jetting method. After determining that slurry 32 density is layering away from the bottom of the casing 27 (i.e. the slurry 32 is less dense at the cavity ceiling 26a than at the cavity floor 26b), less recovery and production of slurry 32 with pressurized water 17 can occur as discussed in connection with FIG. 12. In the case of slurry 32 density gradient concentrating lower in the mining cavity 26 toward the cavity floor 26b with a fully filled hydraulic mining site, one aspect of the inventive method to maintain high production from a single borehole mining operation is to extend additional lengths of casing 29. This technique is known to be done by the core drilling industry for traversing cavern spaces to obtain sonic core samples, but the technique has not been used with subsurface borehole mining. Also, additional pulsed jetting eductor couplings 16 can be added with additional casing 29 sections to more efficiently move slurry 32 through the annulus 28. Frictional factors at the boundary flow layer at the inner surface of the casing 29 and the outer surface of the rod string 15a within the annulus 28 can also generate density layering in the annulus 28, which periodic pulsed jetting eductor couplings 16 can resolve and overcome. In FIG. 13 an additional section of casing 29 has been added and an additional pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 has been added, placing the annulus 28 into a deeper position in the excavation cavity 26, closer to the pulsed jetting sub-coupling 13 and pulsed jetting shoe rock bit 12, with a higher slurry 32 density layer increasing the siphoning benefit through the lengthened annulus 28 to recover slurry 32 at a faster rate in the slurry catch box 40.
(62) FIG. 14 shows a side-view with subsurface cutout and surface perspective, schematically illustrating one of many envisioned working pulsed jetting borehole mining sites with equipment performing the subsurface pulsed jetting mining process in a generally closed water cycle method, and all the while conserving water. Several large mobile equipment members work together, comprising the sonic core drilling rig 58 on a power-tracked transport, a water reservoir 55 on track-driven transport and a slurry processing plant 57 on a tracked trailer. A sonic rod string 15a is supported and rotated 64 by a sonic drill rig 58 that is pulsed jetting mining a subsurface mineral deposit 34 and creating a subsurface mining cavity 26 on the bottom end 27 of casing 27 in a borehole. The casing 29 was emplaced prior to mining using the sonic core drill rig's 58 tooling into an identified valuable mineral deposit 34. In direct association with the top most edge of the casing 30 is a slurry catch box 40 that catches slurry 32 as it exits the annulus 28 which is then pumped by high-volume slurry pump 48 by conduit 49 with an optional accessory pump to the slurry box 50 at the processing platform 57, where slurry is separated into gangue 60, valuable material and water. A trommel or scrubber is not needed since the subterranean slurry-making process using high-pressure turbulence and pulsed jetting and as such provides such a processing step before slurry is collected on the surface. Valuable materials in this illustration are separated by common methods such as screens, sluice, jigs and gravity concentrator. Water can be clarified by screens and hydrocyclone 53, collected in a cistern 56 and circulated back to the clarified water reservoir 55 for recycled jet mining use. Also attached to the casing's top end is an attachable collar 30 which is attached to a water level sensor 41a with pump actuator 41 and an attached conduit 51 which is in communication with high-volume pump 52 to a water reservoir 59 to provide hydrostatic level backup. A check valve is included in conduit 51 to prevent fluid from reversing flow direction from the annulus 28 toward the water reservoir 59. Also illustrated is a high-pressure/high-volume water pump 45 connecting the water reservoir 55 by conduit 44, having a check valve 46 and pressure release valve 47, connecting to the water swivel 63 on the drill rig's 58 sonic head 38 transferring water to the sonic drill head 38 through its spindle to the sonic rod connecting adapter 19. High-pressure, high-volume water and oscillating wave energy 21 is passed into the upper-most rod 15 in the rod string 15a, with connecting adapter 19. On the very bottom end of the rod string 15a (comprising multiple sonic rods 15 as shown in FIG. 8) and attached pulsed jetting assembly in the expanding mining cavity 26 is an attached a water pulsed jetting shoe rock bit 12, which emits jetting pulsed streams 35 into a sump member 39 collecting heavy concentrate 42, which is a diminished remnant of the original borehole and will be re-cored and the heavy valuable concentrate will be collected as part of the inventive extraction process, periodically recovering a core sample from the sump member 39 using a core barrel 67 (See FIG. 11) as an aspect of the inventive recovery method. Just above the threadably attached shoe rock bit 12 is a high-pressure laterally pulsing and rotating water jetting sub-coupling 13, which in this illustration is emitting two oppositely pulsed jetting streams 35 to fracture mineral matrix 34 into slurry 32 in an expanding subterranean cavity 26, then a transition rod 14, then sonic rods 15 interconnected by a sonic pulsed jetting eductor coupling 16 , shown in a cutout section of the casing pulsing water to lift slurry 32 up within the annulus 28 passing between the rod string 15a and the casing 29. The inventive system and method facilitate slurry 32 movement upwardly within the annulus 28 with hydraulic gradient forces, and further upward to a slurry catch box 40 that is in fluid continuity with the slurry box 50 at the processing plant 57. Also illustrated are arrows showing a contiguous fluid flow, starting with an arrow 17 at a pump 45 near the water reservoir 55, water moves through the swivel head 63 on the sonic rig's 58 elevated tower 43 through the sonic drill head 38 and sonic rod adapter 19 and then into the sonic rod string's 15a subsurface pulsed jetting process where it facilitates slurry siphon extraction with pulsed jetting from one or more sonically pulsed jetting eductor couplings 16 and simultaneously generates pulsed jets 35 to degrade mineral target material 34. Water mixes with gravel as slurry 32, which is lifted to the surface to be pumped with pump 48 to the processing plant 57, where water is separated and clarified using various methods, including hydrocyclones 53, collected in a cistern 56 and collapsible water reservoir 59 then pumped back in conduit 54 to the main water reservoir 55. One or more collapsible water reservoirs 59 can be used for water containment that can also be employed with use of additional hydrocyclones 53. A high-flow water conduit 51 with a check valve 46 attached to a water pump 52 and collapsible water reservoir 59 with fluidic continuity to casing collar 30, actuated by a collar sensor to pump water into the annulus 28 to help maintain the desirable hydrostatic level to the top of the casing 29 at the casing collar 30. The control of the proper hydrostatic level to the top of the casing 29 at the casing collar 30 facilitates eductor coupling 16 function within the annulus 28 and prevents the possibility of a subsurface excavated cavity 26 subsidence event. Once the process of pulsed jetting mining is complete the gangue 60 can be reinserted into the subterranean excavated cavity 26 to preserve the environment and to maintain safety.
(63) Thus specific embodiments of improving an existing sonic drilling system to transform it into a highly efficient, low-frequency pulsing sonic and hydraulic mining system and different method aspects have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the disclosure. Moreover, in interpreting the disclosure, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms comprises and comprising should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.
