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Abstract

A process for producing metal compounds directly from underground mineral deposits including steps of forming a borehole at a site into a mineral deposit containing metal compounds, inserting a slurry-forming device having a nozzle into the borehole adapted to direct pressurized water through the nozzle into the mineral deposit, supplying pressured water through the nozzle into the mineral deposit forming a mineral slurry containing metal compounds, extracting the mineral slurry containing metal compounds through the borehole, leaching the mineral slurry converting the metal compounds to a soluble form in a leach solution, and removing metals and metal compounds by treating the leach solution with an extraction treatment removing the metal products. Steps of leaching the mineral slurry and removing metal products are performed at a location remote from the borehole site. In one alternative, the step of removing metal products from mineral slurry is accomplished by pyrometallurgical processes.

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First Claim