Leach-Circuit Equipment by Process Stage

Name: Leach-Circuit Equipment by Process Stage
Creator: Liberty Chemical Equipment & Supply, Inc.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Direct answer: A hydrometallurgical leach circuit (copper heap leach → SX-EW, or gold/silver heap leach → cyanide destruction) needs different equipment classes at each of 7 real process stages. The table below names the equipment class and the manufacturer with real, published mining/hydrometallurgical literature confirmed for each stage — not a generic category guess. For a free spec review on your specific circuit, call James Riggins at (559) 395-5500 or email [email protected].

Raw data: JSON / CSV. Source: LibertyCES mining/hydrometallurgical duty-class research (2026-09-10/11).

Heap Leach Irrigation

Chemistry: Copper: dilute sulfuric acid solution dripped onto the ore heap (Cu2O3 + H2SO4 -> Cu2(SO4)3 + H2O). Gold/Silver: cyanide solution.

Equipment class: Driplines, sprinklers, distribution/mainline piping, pressure regulators, control valves

Confirmed manufacturers:

Netafim -- Leach Line X/A/U driplines (5-yr warranty), GyroNet Turbo sprinklers, FlexNet HP flexible mainline, 75/90/100 Series valves with a dedicated MIN (mining) configuration
Asahi/America -- Type-57P butterfly, Type-21 ball, Type-15 diaphragm valves, QM Remote Cycle actuation, Chem Proline PE single-wall piping

Source: netafim-mining-heap-leaching.md, asahi-america-mining.md

Collection Systems

Chemistry: Pregnant leach solution (PLS) draining from the heap base, collected for downstream processing.

Equipment class: Collection piping, butterfly valves, disc filters, strainers

Confirmed manufacturers:

Asahi/America -- Type-75 butterfly valves, PDCPD (polydicyclopentadiene) butterfly valves
Netafim -- Manual disc filters rated pH 2-13, ScreenGuard metal screen strainers

Source: asahi-america-mining.md, netafim-mining-heap-leaching.md

Solvent Extraction (SX)

Chemistry: Organic extractant strips copper selectively from the pregnant leach solution, upgrading and purifying it before electrowinning.

Equipment class: Metering pumps, transfer piping, valves for the organic/aqueous circuit

Confirmed manufacturers:

ProMinent -- dedicated Solvent Extraction application page; Delta (solenoid-driven, adapts to fluctuating back pressure) and Sigma (motor-driven, 17-1030 l/h) metering pumps
Asahi/America -- Type-21 ball, Type-14 diaphragm, and globe valves named specifically for SX-EW
Richter Chemie-Technik -- lined sealless mag-drive pumps; own Industries page names "Leaching reactions, Electrolysis processes"

Source: prominent-mining.md, asahi-america-mining.md, richter-ct-magnetic-drive-pumps.md

Electrowinning (EW)

Chemistry: Electrolytic deposition of pure copper cathode from the loaded electrolyte.

Equipment class: Circulation pumps, tankhouse piping and valves

Confirmed manufacturers:

ProMinent -- "Electrolytic Metal Extraction" named as one of its five real hydrometallurgical processes
Richter Chemie-Technik -- "Electrolysis processes" and "Acid and lye recycling/pre-concentrating" named industries

Source: prominent-mining.md, richter-ct-magnetic-drive-pumps.md

Cyanide Destruction / Precipitation (gold/silver route)

Chemistry: Two-stage pH/ORP-controlled process: cyanide -> cyanate -> carbonate, with an explicit cyanogen chloride gas hazard if pH isn't raised fast enough (target under 0.1 ppm).

Equipment class: pH/ORP instrumentation, dosing pumps, reaction tanks

Confirmed manufacturers:

GF Signet -- cyanide destruction process knowledge (2-stage pH/ORP setpoints), electrode selection for cyanide-poisoning-resistant service
ProMinent -- metering pumps for reagent dosing

Source: existing rules cyanide-destruction-ph-orp-setpoints, ph-orp-electrode-poisoning-ion-selection

Thickening / Dewatering / Tailings

Chemistry: Polymer flocculant dosing to settle ore-concentrate sludges; high-solids underflow pumping.

Equipment class: Slurry pumps, polymer metering systems, knife gate isolation valves

Confirmed manufacturers:

Schurco Slurry USA -- 7 series to 30,000 gpm; Mine Dewatering, Tailings, and Filter Press Feed named applications
AVCO Valve -- 6100 Series knife gate for slurry isolation
ProMinent -- polymer metering systems (ULTROMAT ULPa/ULDa, PolyRex, DULCODOS ULFb)

Source: schurco-slurry.md, avco-valve-mining.md, prominent-mining.md

Evaporation Ponds

Chemistry: Evaporation of excess tailings/raffinate water to manage the circuit's water balance.

Equipment class: Sprinklers, floating-base support systems

Confirmed manufacturers:

Netafim -- GyroNet Turbo sprinklers with a MegaStand Floating Base variant purpose-built for evaporation pond deployment

Source: netafim-mining-heap-leaching.md

Equipment LibertyCES Supplies for Mining & Hydrometallurgical Service

LibertyCES carries manufacturers with real, published mining/hydrometallurgical duty-class literature — not a category-level guess.

Reviewed by James Riggins, Founder, LibertyCES. Request a free spec review →

Frequently Asked Questions

What equipment does a hydrometallurgical leach circuit need?

A full copper or gold/silver leach circuit needs different equipment at each of 7 real process stages — driplines and control valves for heap leach irrigation, collection piping and strainers for pregnant leach solution recovery, metering pumps for solvent extraction, circulation piping for electrowinning, pH/ORP instrumentation for cyanide destruction (gold/silver route), slurry pumps for dewatering, and sprinklers for evaporation ponds. See the table below for the manufacturer confirmed at each stage.

What is the difference between heap leach irrigation and collection equipment?

Irrigation equipment (driplines, sprinklers) applies the leach solution onto the ore heap. Collection equipment (piping, strainers, filters) recovers the pregnant leach solution (PLS) that has percolated through and drained from the heap base, ready for downstream solvent extraction or precipitation.

Source: Liberty Chemical Equipment & Supply, Inc. (LibertyCES) — engineering data compiled and reviewed by James Riggins, Founder, LibertyCES, from real vendor and field-verified sources. For a free spec review, call James at (559) 395-5500 or email [email protected] / [email protected]. Website: libertyces.com.