Importance

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Abstract

Mineral values, particularly uranium, are recovered in situ from a heterogeneous subsurface earth formation containing the mineral values, which formation comprises zones of both high and low permeability, including injecting a plurality of separate slugs of leach solution adapted to solvate the mineral values into at least one injection well in communication with all zones of the formation, injecting a slug of a gas which is essentially insoluble in the leach solution between each two successive volumes of leach solution and withdrawing the pregnant leach solution, containing mineral values, from at least one production well in communication with all zones of the formation. The method can be further improved by injecting a mobility modifier, adapted to decrease the mobility of the leach solution, at the trailing end and/or leading end of the leach solution which is in contact with a slug of the gas. In a preferred embodiment, the mineral values contain significant amounts of uranium.

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First Claim