Mesoscopic Process Simulation of In Situ Leaching of Ionic Rare Earth Based on NMRI Technology

Abstract

In order to simulate and calculate the leaching process of ionic rare earths more realistically, a digital model of ionic rare earths with real size, shape, seepage channel, and pore ratio and distribution at the mesoscopic scale was constructed based on nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) technology. And the in situ leaching mining process was simulated and calculated by using three control equations of solution seepage, ion exchange, and solute migration. The reliability of the NMRI model was verified by the results of the indoor column leaching experiment, and the influence of the injection intensity and leaching agent concentration on the leaching of rare earth ions was analyzed. The results show that there are dominant seepage channels in the ore body, and the rare earth ion exchange reaction and migration in the dominant channel area are completed first. By analyzing the leaching results of rare earth ions under the working conditions of different injection strengths and different concentrations of leaching agent, the results show that the injection strength and the concentration of leaching agent have an obvious promoting effect on the leaching of rare earth ions in a certain range. The injection strength of 0.5~1.0 mL/min and the concentration of 0.20~0.25 mol/L leaching agent are considered to be more economical in practical engineering.