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.

IPC Classes  ?

• E21C 45/04 - Means for generating pulsating fluid jets by use of highly pressurised liquid
• E21B 43/29 - Obtaining a slurry of minerals, e.g. by using nozzles
• E21C 37/12 - Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading by making use of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in a borehole by injecting into the borehole a liquid, either initially at high pressure or subsequently subjected to high pressure, e.g. by pulses, by explosive cartridges acting on the liquid
• E21B 7/24 - Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses
• E21B 7/18 - Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets
• E21B 21/06 - Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole

Abstract

An improvement to a sonic drilling system comprising a high-pressure, high-volume water pump connected to a fluid supply and a length of casing in a borehole; an elastic sonic rod string; an eductor coupling having an upwardly directed convergent nozzle; a transition rod; a sub-coupling having a laterally directed convergent nozzle; and a shoe rock bit having a downwardly directed convergent nozzle. The water pump provides fluid down the bore of the sonic rod string, the eductor, the transition rod, the sub-coupling and the rock bit whereby adjustable high-pressure, high-volume fluid is forced through the sonic rod string, the eductor, the transition rod, the sub-coupling and the rock bit to fracture, cut and agitate targeted mineral into slurry and whereby the light slurry is directed effectively upwardly through the annulus to the surface for extraction and heavy slurry gravitates into a sump trap and is recovered with a core barrel.

IPC Classes  ?

• E21C 45/04 - Means for generating pulsating fluid jets by use of highly pressurised liquid
• E21B 43/29 - Obtaining a slurry of minerals, e.g. by using nozzles
• E21B 7/18 - Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets
• E21B 21/06 - Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole
• E21B 25/00 - Apparatus for obtaining or removing undisturbed cores, e.g. core barrels or core extractors
• E21C 37/12 - Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading by making use of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in a borehole by injecting into the borehole a liquid, either initially at high pressure or subsequently subjected to high pressure, e.g. by pulses, by explosive cartridges acting on the liquid
• E21B 7/24 - Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses