Solution mining

Claim 1

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, whereby said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects an outer lower end of a downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to an upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching fluid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching fluid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching fluid.

Claim 2

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, whereby said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects an outer lower end of a downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to an upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching fluid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching fluid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching fluid.

Claim 3

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, forming a downwardly directed deviated hole having an outer lower end, wherein said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects the outer lower end of said downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to an upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching fluid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching fluid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching fluid.

Claim 4

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, forming a downwardly directed deviated hole having an outer lower end, wherein said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects the outer lower end of said downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to an upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching fluid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching fluid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching fluid.

Claim 5

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, forming a downwardly directed deviated hole from an upper position in said vertical shaft having an outer lower end, wherein said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects the outer lower end of said downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to the upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching liquid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching liquid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching liquid.

Claim 6

A method of recovering minerals from a subsurface earth formation comprising the steps: establishing a substantially vertical shaft hole extending from a surface of the earth to said subsurface earth formation, forming from a lower position in said vertical shaft in an essentially upward direction in the formation an upwardly directed deviated hole having an outer upper end, forming a downwardly directed deviated hole from an upper position in said vertical shaft having an outer lower end, wherein said outer upper end of said upwardly directed deviated hole intersects the outer lower end of said downwardly directed deviated hole providing fluid communication through an outer loop borehole from the lower position of said vertical shaft to the upper position of said vertical shaft, and injecting a leaching liquid from the surface to said outer loop borehole and directing said leaching liquid about the outer loop borehole whereby minerals in proximity with said loop are leached away by said leaching liquid.