WO2025117696A1

WO2025117696A1 - Ore comminution using electrohydraulic fracturing

Info

Publication number: WO2025117696A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/057686
Authority: WO
Inventors: William Aertker; Dominic MAGAISA; Jonas TOUPAL
Original assignee: Eden Geopower Inc
Current assignee: Eden Geopower Inc
Priority date: 2023-12-01
Filing date: 2024-11-27
Publication date: 2025-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-01

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments are related to comminuting orebodies and/or ore and/or other geologic formations using electrical stimulation and/or carbonation of the orebodies.

Description

ORE COMMINUTION USING ELECTROHYDRAULIC FRACTURING

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application 63/605,230, filed on December 1, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

[0002] Disclosed embodiments are related to comminuting orebodies and/or ore and other geologic formations using electrical stimulation and/or carbonation of the orebodies.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has been used to extract oil and natural gas from the Earth. More recently, electrical reservoir stimulation (ERS) has been developed for oil and gas applications, specifically for improved recovery from unconventionally tight shale reservoirs. When combined with hydraulic fracturing, electrical stimulation can also be used in crystalline rock formations for applications such as enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), in which a fluid is injected into the subsurface under controlled conditions and may cause pre-existing fractures to re-open, creating permeability.

SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, a method for comminuting ore is described, the method comprising exposing the ore to an electrically conductive fluid; applying a current to the ore to fracture the ore to form fractures in the ore.

[0005] In another aspect, a method for comminuting ore is described, the method comprising electrically fracturing the ore; and reacting a carbonate-forming species with the ore.

[0006] In another aspect, a composition is described, the composition comprising an orebody comprising a plurality of fractures; a carbonate compound disposed in the plurality of fractures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0008] FIG. 1 A is a schematic illustration showing the injection of a fracturing fluid into a geologic formation, according to some embodiments;

[0009] FIGS. 1B-1C are schematic illustrations of a geologic formation being electrically stimulated, according to some embodiments;

[0010] FIG. ID schematically depicts a fluid comprising a carbonate-forming species being injected into a geologic formation, according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIGS. 1E-1F are schematic illustrations of fragments of a geologic formation being extracted after electrically fracturing and mineralizing the geologic formation, according to some embodiments; and

[0012] FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicted a method for extracting ore, according to one set of embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The Inventors have recognized that electrohydraulic fracturing may be used to facilitate mining activities, such as ore extraction, from a geological formation. More specifically, the Inventors have appreciated that hydraulic fracturing and electrical stimulation techniques may weaken or pre-weaken ores (e.g., orebodies, ore fragments, subterranean formations with minerals of interest) for in situ and/or ex situ applications and may also increase the permeability of previously impermeable geologic formations to enable in situ mining. Moreover, in some cases, electrical stimulation can be combined with CO2 carbonation (or some other carbon source of carbon other than CO2) to further decrease the hardness of the formation, for example, by mineralizing at least a portion of geologic formation into a more brittle compound, making it easier to extract ore during beneficiation and/or to extract desired minerals from the resulting ore fragments, while reducing the overall carbon footprint of the mining operation as CO2 becomes mineralized within the formation. [0014] As noted above, the Inventors have recognized and appreciated that hydraulic fracturing and electrical stimulation of a hydraulic fracturing fluid can be used to improve the recovery of ores and/or valuable minerals, which can improve the yield from in situ mining operations, relative to conventional mining techniques. By providing electrical stimulation to the hydraulic fracturing fluid (or some other fluid), the energy directed into a geological formation (e.g., a larger orebody) may result in comminution of the geologic formation into smaller fragments (e.g., for improved particle size distributions relative to before comminution) and/or the introduction of cracks and/or microcracks into the geological formation which may weaken the overall geological formation to optimize mineral beneficiation. These smaller fragments and/or weakened formation including cracks may be easier to extract resources from, relative to larger fragments and/or uncracked portions of the geologic formation. Specifically, as described in more detail further below, electrical stimulation may create one or more fractures (e.g., microfractures) in a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody) and/or may cause existing fractures to further extend (e.g., along sulfide veins). This can make it easier to subsequently breakup or mine the resulting ore fragments for resources.

[0015] In some embodiments, the Inventors have recognized benefits with using electrical stimulation without the presence of a fracturing fluid. That is, in some embodiments, the ore may be fractured by applying electrical stimulation to dry and/or intact ore depending on the conductivity of the geologic formation. For example, electrical stimulation may be applied to sulfide ores which may have an intrinsic conductivity that allows plasma generated by the discharge of electricity to propagate through the sulfide veins of the ore. In such an example, conductivity of the sulfide ores may range from approximately 100 S/m to 10,300 S/m, and thus these ores may have sufficient conductivity such that the use of a fracturing fluid is not needed. In some embodiments, a fracturing operation may include first fracturing a dry and intact ore using electrical stimulation (e.g., electrical pulses), and then subsequently introducing a conductive fluid and electrically stimulating the fluid to enhance fracturing of the ore. This enhanced fracturing may be achieved from a shock wave effect due to the presence of an incompressible fluid in the existing fractures, as discussed herein.

[0016] The Inventors have also recognized and discovered that carbonation (e.g., mineralization) of a geologic formation or orebody can weaken the geologic formation or orebody, making comminution easier. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, many orebodies have limited permeability and are relatively non-polar, which limits the surface area available for a carbonation reaction. However, by reacting a component of a geologic formation and/or orebody with a carbon source (e.g., CO2), the component may react to form a compound (e.g., a carbonate-compound), and this compound may be different from the component in one or more physical properties (e.g., permeability, porosity, hardness), making it easier. In some cases, carbonation can be combined with electrical stimulation; however, in other embodiments, carbonation may be use independently from electrical stimulation.

[0017] Once a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody) has been electrically stimulated and/or carbonated (e.g., in situ), the ore fragments can be extracted. In some embodiments, these ore fragments can be subjected to additional electrical stimulation and/or carbonation, or resources can be extracted directly from the ore fragments. In this manner, electrical stimulation and/or carbonation can be used for mining resources from geologic formations. [0018] Electrical stimulation and/or carbonation of a geologic formation has several advantages. For example, by providing electrical stimulation to a geologic formation, fractures (e.g., microfractures) may be created, which may aid in extracting ore fragments produced by electrically stimulating the geologic formation. Carbonation of the geologic formation may also advantageously reduce a hardness of the geologic formation (e.g., by forming softer/more brittle carbonate compounds). In some embodiments, electrical stimulation can be combined with carbonation to further enhance ore extraction. For example, carbonation may result in the precipitation of compounds (e.g., carbonate compounds), which may reduce the permeability of the geologic formation. However, subsequent electrical stimulation can restore and, in some cases, increase the permeability of the geologic formation by breaking up the formed precipitates, improving resource recovery. As another advantage, electrical stimulation and/or carbonation can allow previously inaccessible geologic formations to be mined. This is because electrical stimulation and/or carbonation allows access to relatively hard or low permeability geologic formations where conventional mining operations have been unsuitable or unsatisfactory. Additional advantages are possible, some of which are described elsewhere herein, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. [0019] Turning to the figures, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described relative to these embodiments may be used either individually and/or in any desired combination as the disclosure is not limited to only the specific embodiments described herein.

[0020] FIGS. 1A-1H schematically depict various portions of an electric stimulation process for mining application though a method for electrohydraulic fracturing and mineralization of an orebody and/or previously extracted ore fragments is expanded on further below in regards to FIG. 2. In FIG.1 A, two boreholes spaced apart have been drilled into a geologic formation 110. A fracturing fluid 120 is injected into the two boreholes. Electricity can be delivered to the geologic formation 110. The geologic formation 110 is electrically stimulated, for example, by an electrode(s) 130, as schematically depicted in FIG. IB. The electrodes are operatively coupled to a power source 132 (shown in FIG. 1C) and/or potentiostat (not pictured in the figure) to deliver power (e.g., current, a potential difference) to the geologic formation 110. In the figure, electric stimulation results in a plurality of fractures 140 and a plurality of fragments 150 (e.g., ore fragments), with several of the fractures forming an interconnected network of fractures. This interconnected network can facilitate an increase in the permeability of the geologic formation 110, which can facilitate additional fracturing, a decrease in hardness of the geologic material, and/or a decrease in Bond work index (BWi), as detailed below. These further fractures can be propagated such that at a length of the geologic formation can be stimulated. In the context of mining, these fractures can be propagated along the entire length of the targeted geological stope, rock face, or pit bench limits. For example, in FIG. 1C, the entirety of the borehole that extends into the geologic formation 110 can be electrically stimulated (i.e., by electrode(s) 130). In some embodiments, these fractures can be propagated along the entire length of the targeted geological stope or pit bench limits. Although the configuration shown in FIGs. 1 A-1C shows two spaced apart boreholes, in some embodiments a single borehole may be drilled and two electrodes may be provided in the single borehole to apply electrical stimulation to the surrounding geologic formation for fracturing (e.g., using an electrically conductive fluid in the single borehole). The Inventors have appreciated that either cross-well fracturing (i.e., electrical stimulation across two or more bore holes) or single-well fracturing may be used to decrease comminution depending on the ore to be fractured. In some embodiments, single-well fracturing may be first used to “pre-weaken” the ore, and then cross-well fracturing may be employed to achieve additional fracturing as the disclosure is not so limited.

[0021] As discussed herein, the Inventors have appreciated that ore fractured using electrical reservoir stimulation (ERS) may exhibit a reduced fracture toughness, hardness, and/or mineralization as measured using Bond work indices, rock strength properties (e.g., UCS, cohesion, friction angle, tensile strength), and/or modal mineralogy.

[0022] Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, electrical stimulation results in Joule heating of the geologic formation between the electrodes. Advantageously, this heating can cause the geologic formation (e.g., an orebody within the geologic formation) to rapidly expand (e.g., within certain portions), resulting in fracturing of the geologic formation (e.g., fracturing of an orebody) into smaller fragments due to temperature gradients between the heated portion and the unheated portion. In some embodiments, subsequent cooling can be induced by injecting a fluid of a lower temperature (e.g., a cooling liquid), which may result in contraction of (at least a portion of) the geologic formation, resulting in more fracturing. [0023] In some embodiments, after initially fracturing the geologic formation (e.g., an orebody of the geologic formation), another portion of the geologic formation can be fractured. In some such embodiments, one or more electrodes is moved from a first position within the geologic formation to a second position of the geologic formation. This can be accomplished by drilling additional boreholes into the geologic formation (of the same or different lengths/dimensions as previously drilled boreholes) and providing the same or different electrodes to the additional boreholes. In addition or alternatively, single-well fracturing may be used as detailed above to pre-weaken the ore such that the BWi required to fracture the ore is decreased. Advantageously, fracturing more than one portion of the geologic formation can facilitate comminuting of the geologic formation so that more ore fragments can be obtained.

[0024] FIG. ID illustrates carbonation (e.g., mineralization) of the geologic formation. As schematically shown in FIG. ID, a carbonate-forming species (not shown) can be pumped (e.g., via pump 160 which may either be a mobile or stationary pump) into the geologic formation 110, which can facilitate the carbonation of (at least a portion of) the geologic formation. Details regarding carbonation are described elsewhere herein. Carbonation may be accomplished using the hydraulic fracturing fluid (e.g., comprising the carbonate-forming species) and/or a different fluid (e.g., a mineralizing fluid comprising the carbonate-forming species).

[0025] As was just mentioned, a pump may be included to provide hydraulic fracturing fluid (or some other fluid, such as a mineralizing solution) to the geologic formation. In some such embodiments, the pump is configured to inject the hydraulic fracturing fluid into the geologic formation. Two or more electrodes may also be positioned in two or more spaced apart boreholes configured to apply a potential across at least a portion of the geologic formation. In some embodiments, the two or more electrodes may be located within a single borehole such that the electrodes can apply electrical stimulation to the surrounding geologic formation, as disclosed herein. For example, a first, “high-voltage” electrode and a second, “ground” electrode may be placed inside a single borehole that is saturated with brine, and electrical stimulation (e.g., in the form of electrical pulses) may cause fracturing in the surrounding geologic formation.

[0026] The two or more electrodes may each be any suitable electrode for applying a potential across the reservoir. In some embodiments, the two or more electrodes are configured to apply a voltage potential between a first portion of the reservoir and a second portion of the reservoir. In some such embodiments, the applied voltage potential heats the reservoir (e.g., via Joule heating) due to the flow of current between the two or more electrodes located in at least the first and second portions of the reservoir. Non-limiting examples of appropriate electrodes may include titanium, aluminum, copper, and alloys and/or compounds thereof. In one embodiment, an electrode may comprise cobalt beryllium copper.

[0027] Once the geologic formation has been fractured and/or weakened (e.g., via electric stimulation and/or via carbonation/mineralization of the geologic formation), the fragments of the geologic formation can be extracted. For example, as schematically depicted in FIG. IE, explosives 170 or other extraction methods may be used to dislodge the plurality of fragments 150. The dislodged plurality of fragments 150 can then be transported and/or moved offsite, as schematically illustrated in FIG. IF. In this manner, the fragments of the geologic formation (e.g., ore fragments) can be extracted and resources (e.g., precious metals, minerals, etc.) can be obtained from these fragments. [0028] While not shown in the figure, it should be understood that the electric fracturing and/or carbonation described above and elsewhere herein can be applied both in situ (e.g., within a subterranean geologic formation) and/or ex situ (e.g., at a processing site, in a laboratory, in a reactor) at a site different from the geologic formation. For example, in some embodiments, a fracturing fluid is provided to a geologic formation (e.g., comprising an orebody to be fractured) and the geologic formation can be fractured. Some such embodiments, the fracturing fluid (or a subsequently injected mineralizing fluid) comprises a carbonate-forming species, which can react with geologic formation (e.g., at least a portion of the geologic formation). In some embodiments, however, an orebody and/or ore fragments are extracted and immersed in a fracturing fluid and/or a mineralizing fluid (e.g., comprising a carbonate-forming compound) and a current can be applied to the orebody and/or the ore fragments to facilitate further fracturing and/or carbonation. In some embodiments, a combination of ex situ and in situ fracturing and/or carbonation is performed. For example, an orebody can be fractured in situ (e.g., within some geologic formation, such as a subterranean geologic formation) to produce ore fragments. These ore fragments (and/or tailings from ore or ore fragments) may be extracted and ex situ fracturing and/or carbonation can be performed on these ore fragments to generate additional ore fragments from the ore fragments obtained in situ. Those skilled in the art, in view of this disclosure, will be capable of performing any suitable combination of in situ and ex situ fracturing and/or carbonation, as desired to obtain ore fragments for more facile extraction of resource relative to the large orebody.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting a method 200 for extracting ore (e.g., from a geologic formation). At block 205 of the figure, a borehole is drilled into an orebody to form a well. At block 210, one or more electrodes is placed within the borehole to facilitate electric stimulation of the orebody. At block 215 (which is optional), a hydraulic fracturing fluid (e.g., an electrically conductive hydraulic fracturing fluid), which may optionally comprise a carbonate-forming species, is introduced into the geologic formation. The fracturing fluid may be appropriately pressurized and injected into the borehole at pressures sufficient to induce fracturing and/or to introduce the electrically conductive fracturing fluid into the fracture network within the well. At block 220, an electrical potential is applied across the two or more electrodes to induce flow of a current across the electrodes. At block 225, the orebody is electrohydraulically fractured to form fractures (e.g., macro and/or microfractures) in the orebody. At block 226, the size of the orebody is reduced into smaller ore fragments. At block 228, the electrodes are, optionally, moved to another portion of the orebody to stimulate another portion. Repositioning the electrodes after fracturing a portion of the orebody can be helpful for fracturing the larger orebody so that ore fragments can more readily be extracted.

[0030] Blocks 230, 232, and 235 describe carbonation of the electrically fractured orebody, although it is noted that carbonation may happen additionally or alternatively with electric fracturing. In block 230, a carbonate-forming species is injected into the fractures of the orebody that were created via electric stimulation (e.g., block 225). In block 232, the carbonate-forming species is reacted with a component of the orebody and/or ore fragments. Optionally, as in block 235, the temperature of orebody (or ore fragments) can be controlled, for example, at a temperature that facilitates carbonate formation. In block 240, the ore fragments are extracted.

[0031] Additional details regarding various features are provided below.

[0032] As noted above, electric fracturing can be used to generate fractures (e.g., microfractures) in a geologic formation, such as an orebody. The geologic formation may be free of fractures prior to electric stimulation, and electric stimulation may create fractures within the geologic formation. However, in some cases, the geologic feature (e.g., an orebody) includes at least one fracture already present within the geologic feature and electric stimulation causes this preexisting fracture to further propagate (e.g., further extending the fracture from an exterior portion of the geologic feature towards an interior portion of the geologic formation) within the geologic formation and/or forming additional fractures within the geologic formation. In some embodiments, the plurality of fractures extends from an exterior of an orebody and/or ore fragment towards the interior. Advantageously, this can be used to expose the bulk of the geologic formation, for example, for further hydraulic fracturing and/or carbonation. As another advantage, increasing the exposed geologic formation can increase the rate of carbonation, as more exposed geologic formation can increase the carbonate-forming reaction.

[0033] Fracturing of the geologic feature can also create a network of fractures (e.g., microfractures). At least a portion of the network of fractures is interconnected with another portion of the network of fractures to form an interconnected network of fractures, which may again be an interconnected network of microfractures, extending throughout a treated orebody and/or extracted ore fragments, such that the permeability of the geologic formation and/or ore fragments may be increased relative to the untreated geologic formation and/or ore fragments.

[0034] As mentioned just above, fracturing (e.g., electrically fracturing) an orebody may result in forming a plurality of fractures in the orebody and/or further fracturing existing fractures in the orebody causing these preexisting fractures to further expand (e.g., along a sulfide vein). The plurality of fractures may have a variety of sizes and dimensions. In some embodiments, the plurality of fractures has an average maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension (e.g., a thickness) of less than or equal to 5 cm, less than or equal to 1 cm, less than or equal to 5 mm, less than or equal to 1 mm, less than or equal to 500 pm, less than or equal to 100 pm, less than or equal to 50 pm, less than or equal to 10 pm, less than or equal to 5 pm, or less than or equal to 1 pm. In some embodiments, an average maximum cross- sectional transverse dimension of the plurality of fractures is greater than or equal to 1 m, greater than or equal to 0.5 m, greater than or equal to 10 cm, greater than or equal to 5 cm, greater than or equal to 1 cm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 500 pm, greater than or equal to 100 pm, greater than or equal to 50 pm, greater than or equal to 10 pm, greater than or equal to 5 pm, or greater than or equal to 1 pm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also contemplated (e.g., less than or equal to 5 cm and greater than or equal to 1 pm). Of course, other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0035] In some embodiments, the plurality of fractures includes one or more microfractures. Each of the one or more microfractures may have a maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension (i.e., a thickness) of less than or equal to 1,000 pm. In some embodiments, a microfracture has a maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of less than or equal to 1,000 pm, less than or equal to 750 pm, less than or equal to 500 pm, less than or equal to 100 pm, less than or equal to 50 pm, less than or equal to 10 pm, less than or equal to 5 pm, or less than or equal to 1 pm. In some embodiments, a microfracture has a maximum cross- sectional transverse dimension of greater than or equal to 1,000 pm, greater than or equal to 750 pm, greater than or equal to 500 pm, greater than or equal to 100 pm, greater than or equal to 50 qm, greater than or equal to 10 qm, greater than or equal to 5 qm, or greater than or equal to 1 qm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 1,000 qm and greater than or equal to 1 qm). Other ranges are possible.

[0036] During and/or after fracturing (e.g., electrically fracturing) a geologic formation, the resulting fragments may be smaller in size relative to the unfractured geologic formation. In some embodiments, one or more fragments has an average maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of less than or equal to 3 m, less than or equal to 2 m, less than or equal to 1 m, less than or equal to 0.5 m, or less than or equal to 0.1 m. In some embodiments, one or more fragments has an average maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of less than or equal to 1,000 pm, less than or equal to 750 qm, less than or equal to 500 qm, less than or equal to 100 qm, less than or equal to 50 qm, less than or equal to 10 qm, less than or equal to 5 qm, or less than or equal to 1 qm. In some embodiments, one or more fragments has an average maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of greater than or equal to 1,000 pm, greater than or equal to 750 qm, greater than or equal to 500 qm, greater than or equal to 100 qm, greater than or equal to 50 qm, greater than or equal to 10 qm, greater than or equal to 5 qm, or greater than or equal to 1 qm. In some embodiments, one or more fragments has an average maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of greater than or equal to 0.1 m, greater than or equal to 0.5 m, greater than or equal to 1 m, greater than or equal to 2 m, greater than or equal to 3 m. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 3 m and greater than or equal to 1 qm). Other ranges are possible.

[0037] In some embodiments, power consumption during electrical fracturing is proportional to the resulting size (e.g., an average size) of the one or more fragments formed by fracturing a geologic formation (e.g., a subterranean formation). In some such embodiments, a Bond work index (e.g., Bond ball mill work index (BWi), Bond crushing work index (CWi)) relates an energy or power consumption of comminution (i.e., particle size reduction) to the resulting particle size of the fragments. The resulting particle size of the fragments may provide an indication as to how much the use of electrical reservoir stimulation (ERS) lowers the required BWi for a given fracturing process, as discussed in greater detail below. Bond work indexes may be measured as energy per mass of fragments produced and/or as power per unit time. [0038] In some embodiment, an average Bond work index for extracting ore fragments from a geologic formation is greater than or equal to 5 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 10 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 20 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 50 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 70 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 100 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 150 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 200 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 250 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 300 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 350 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 400 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 450 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 500 kJ/kg, greater than or equal to 550 kJ/kg, or greater than or equal to 600 kJ/kg. In some embodiments, an average BWi for extracting ore fragments from a geologic formation is less than or equal to 600 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 550 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 500 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 450 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 400 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 350 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 300 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 250 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 200 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 150 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 100 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 70 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 50 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 20 kJ/kg, less than or equal to 10 kJ/kg, or less than or equal to 5 kJ/kg. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 5 kJ/kg and less than or equal to 600 kJ/kg). Of course, other ranges are contemplated as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0039] In some embodiment, an average Bond work index for extracting ore fragments from a geologic formation is greater than or equal to 1 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 5 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 10 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 20 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 25 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 30 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 50 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 70 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 90 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 100 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 125 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 150 kWh/t, greater than or equal to 175 kWh/t, or greater than or equal to 200 kWh/t. In some embodiments, a BWi for extracting ore fragments from a geologic formation is less than or equal to 200 kWh/t, less than or equal to 175 kWh/t, less than or equal to 150 kWh/t, less than or equal to 125 kWh/t, less than or equal to 100 kWh/t, less than or equal to 90 kWh/t, less than or equal to 70 kWh/t, less than or equal to 50 kWh/t, less than or equal to 30 kWh/t, less than or equal to 25 kWh/t, less than or equal to 20 kWh/t, less than or equal to 10 kWh/t, less than or equal to 5 kWh/t, or less than or equal to 1 kWh/t. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 kWh/t and less than or equal to 200 kWh/t). Of course, other ranges are contemplated as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0040] In some embodiments, a fluid (e.g., a fracturing fluid, a carbonating fluid, a mineralizing fluid) is provided to the geologic formation (e.g., an orebody, fragments of ore). In some such embodiments, this fluid comprises a carbonate-forming species. The carbonate- forming species can react with a component of the geologic formation to convert (i.e., react with) that component to a carbonate compound. Typically, the carbonate compound has at least one physical property different than the unreacted component of the geologic formation. For example, in some embodiments, the carbonate compound is more brittle (and hence easier to fracture) than the unreacted component of the geologic formation. As another example, in some embodiments, the carbonate compound is less hard (e.g., the compound has a lower BWi) than the unreacted component of the geologic formation. Advantageously, the geologic formation may be easier to fracture once the component has reacted with the carbonate-forming species, relative to before the component reacted with the carbonate- forming species. Thus, the ore may exhibit a reduced fracture toughness and/or hardness after electrohydraulic fracturing and/or mineralization as measured using Bond work indices, rock strength properties (e.g., UCS, cohesion, friction angle, tensile strength), and modal mineralogy.

[0041] The carbonate-forming species can be any chemical reagent that reacts with a geologic formation to form a carbonate compound. In some embodiments, the carbonate- forming species is carbon dioxide (CO2), such as supercritical CO2. In such embodiments, one advantage is the simultaneous sequestration of carbon dioxide and carbonation, which can weaken the geologic structure while also capturing Earth-warming CO2. However, it should be understood that other carbonate-forming species are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the carbonate-forming species is an organic acid, such as a carboxylic acid (e.g., a dicarboxylic acid). In some embodiments, the carbonate-forming species comprises malonic acid and/or succinic acid. In some embodiments, the carbonate-forming species may be a bicarbonate species (e.g., sodium bicarbonate).

[0042] As noted above, in some of the embodiments disclosed herein, the temperature of the geologic formation (e.g., an orebody) or plurality of fractures may be controlled to favor a carbonate-forming reaction. Electric stimulation can be used to provide heat to the fracture fluid (e.g., via Joule heating) and this feature can advantageously be used to alter a temperature of the geologic formation, for example, to promote carbonate formation. For example, a fracturing fluid can be heated ex situ and/or a fracturing fluid can be heated in situ (e.g., via Joule heating) such that the temperature at interface between the orebody and the plurality of fractures promotes carbonate formation. One or more thermal sensors (e.g., a temperature probe) may be associated with the system (e.g., a controller of the system) in order to determine a temperature of a fracturing fluid and/or orebody (or an interface between fluid and an orebody and/or ore fragments). In some such embodiments, the thermal sensor can be used as a part of a feedback loop in which the temperature of the fracture can be determined and adjusted, as desired.

[0043] In some embodiments, a portion of the geologic formation (e.g., the orebody, an interface between the orebody and the plurality of fractures) is at a temperature of greater than or equal to 150 °C, greater than or equal to 175 °C, greater than or equal to 200 °C, greater than or equal to 225 °C, greater than or equal to 250 °C, greater than or equal to 275 °C, greater than or equal to 300 °C, greater than or equal to 325 °C, greater than or equal to 350 °C, greater than or equal to 375 °C, greater than or equal to 400 °C. In some embodiments, a portion of the geologic formation (e.g., an interface between the orebody and the plurality of fractures) is less than or equal to 400 °C, less than or equal to 375 °C, less than or equal to 350 °C, less than or equal to 325 °C, less than or equal to 300 °C, less than or equal to 275 °C, less than or equal to 250 °C, less than or equal to 225 °C, less than or equal to 200 °C, less than or equal to 175 °C, or less than or equal to 150 °C. Combinations of the foregoing range are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 150 °C and less than or equal to 400 °C). Other ranges are possible.

[0044] Various geologic formations (e.g., orebodies, ores, rocks) can be electrically fractured and/or carbonated as described herein. In some embodiments, relatively hard or low permeability geologic formations (e.g., iron-rich geologic formations) can be electrically fractured and/or carbonated.

[0045] In some embodiments, the permeability of a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody), before fracturing, is relatively low. In some embodiments, the permeability of a geologic formation, before fracturing, is less than or equal to 1 x IO'²⁰ m², less than or equal to 5* 10'¹⁹ m², less than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁹ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁸ m², less than or equal to 1 x IO’¹⁸ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁷ m², less than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁷ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁶ m², less than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁶ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁵ m², or less than or equal to I x lO'¹⁵ m². In some embodiments, the permeability of the geologic formation is greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁵ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁵ m², greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁶ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁶ m², greater than or equal to 1x10’ ¹⁷ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁷ m², greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁸ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁸ m², greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁹ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁹ m², or greater than or equal to 1 x IO'²⁰ m². Combinations of the foregoing range are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁵ m² and greater than or equal to 1 x IO'²⁰ m²). Other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0046] In some embodiments, the permeability of a geologic formation (e.g., orebody, fragments of ore) after fracturing, is relatively high (e.g., compared to the permeability of the geologic formation before fracturing). In some embodiments, the a permeability of the geologic formation is greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁵ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁴ m², greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹⁴ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹³ m², greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹³ m², greater than or equal to 5x 10'¹² m², or greater than or equal to 1 x 10'¹² m². In some embodiments, a permeability of a geologic formation, after fracturing, is less than or equal to Ix lO'¹⁵ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹⁴ m², less than or equal to 10'¹⁴ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹³ m², less than or equal to 1 x 10'¹³ m², less than or equal to 5x 10'¹² m², or less than or equal to I x lO'¹² m². Combinations of the foregoing range are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 10'¹² m² and greater than or equal to 10'¹⁵ m²). Other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limiting.

[0047] As was mentioned above, compositions, systems, and methods disclosed herein may be particularly advantageous in mining (or for otherwise obtaining) ore from relative hard geologic formation that have been traditionally inaccessible due to their hardness. In some embodiments, a hardness of an ore body is greater than or equal to 2 Mohs, greater than or equal to 2.2 Mohs, greater than or equal to 2.4 Mohs, greater than or equal to 2.6 Mohs, greater than or equal to 2.8 Mohs, greater than or equal to 3 Mohs, greater than or equal to 3.2 Mohs, greater than or equal to 3.4 Mohs, greater than or equal to 3.6 Mohs, greater than or equal to 3.8 Mohs, or greater than or equal to 4 Mohs. In some embodiments, a hardness of an ore body is less than or equal to 2 Mohs, less than or equal to 2.2 Mohs, less than or equal to 2.4 Mohs, less than or equal to 2.6 Mohs, less than or equal to 2.8 Mohs, less than or equal to 3 Mohs, less than or equal to 3.2 Mohs, less than or equal to 3.4 Mohs, less than or equal to 3.6 Mohs, less than or equal to 3.8 Mohs, or less than or equal to 4 Mohs. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2 Mohs and less than or equal to 4 Mohs). Other ranges are possible.

[0048] In some embodiments, a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody, fragments of ore) has an initial relatively low porosity, for example, before fracturing the geologic formation. In some embodiments, the geologic formation has a porosity of less than or equal to 20%, less than or equal to 15%, less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 5%, less than or equal to 4%, less than or equal to 3%, less than or equal to 2%, or less than or equal to 1%. In some embodiments, the geologic formation has a porosity of greater than or equal to 20%, greater than or equal to 15%, greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 5%, greater than or equal to 4%, greater than or equal to 3%, greater than or equal to 2%, or greater than or equal to 1%. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 20% and greater than or equal to 1%). Of course, other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0049] In some embodiments, a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody) has a greater porosity, for example, after fracturing the geologic formation. In some embodiments, the porosity of the geologic formation, after fracturing, is less than or equal to 1%, less than or equal to 3%, less than or equal to 5%, less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 15%, less than or equal to 20%, less than or equal to 25%, or less than or equal to 30%. In some embodiments, the porosity of the geologic formation, after fracturing, is greater than or equal to 0.5%, greater than or equal to 1%, greater than or equal to 3%, greater than or equal to 5%, greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 15%, greater than or equal to 20%, or greater than or equal to 25%. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 30% and greater than or equal to 0.5%). Of course, other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0050] In some embodiments, ore fragments within a geologic formation (e.g., an orebody) become smaller, for example, after electrically fracturing (and/or carbonating) the geologic formation. In some embodiments, an average size of the ore (or ore fragments) within a geologic formation, after fracturing, decreases by greater than or equal to 10%, greater than or equal to 20%, greater than or equal to 30%, greater than or equal to 35%, greater than or equal to 40%, greater than or equal to 45%, greater than or equal to 50%, greater than or equal to 55%, greater than or equal to 60%, greater than or equal to 65%, greater than or equal to 70%, greater than or equal to 75%, or greater than or equal to 80%, relative to an average size of the ore (or ore fragments) before electrically fracturing. In some embodiments, an average size of the ore (or ore fragments) within the geologic formation, after fracturing, decreases by less than or equal to 10%, less than or equal to 20%, less than or equal to 30%, less than or equal to 35%, less than or equal to 40%, less than or equal to 45%, less than or equal to 50%, less than or equal to 55%, less than or equal to 60%, less than or equal to 65%, less than or equal to 70%, less than or equal to 75%, or less than or equal to 80%, relative to an average size of the ore (or ore fragments) before electrically fracturing. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., less than or equal to 30% and greater than or equal to 80%). Other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited. [0051] Various embodiments include providing a current through the fracturing fluid (e.g., by providing a potential difference across two or more electrodes adjacent to the fracturing fluid). In some embodiments, an electric pulse can be administered via a pulsed power device (e.g., an AC current). In some embodiments, the electric pulse has a voltage of greater than or equal to 1 V, greater than or equal to 5 V, greater than or equal to 10 V, greater than or equal to 50 V, greater than or equal to 100 V, greater than or equal to 500 V, greater than or equal to 1 kV, greater than or equal to 5 kV, greater than or equal to 10 kV, greater than or equal to 50 kV, greater than or equal to 100 kV, greater than or equal to 500 kV, greater than or equal to 600 kV, greater than or equal to 700 kV, greater than or equal to 800 kV, or greater than or equal to 900 kV. In some embodiments, the electric pulse has a voltage of less than or equal to 1,000 kV, less than or equal to 900 kV, less than or equal to 800 kV, less than or equal to 700 kV, less than or equal to 600 kV, less than or equal to 500 kV, less than or equal to 100 kV, less than or equal to 50 kV, less than or equal to 10 kV, less than or equal to 5 kV, less than or equal to 1 kV, less than or equal to 500 V, less than or equal to 100 V, or less than or equal to 50 V. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100 kV and less than or equal to 1,000 kV). In another embodiment, the voltage may be between or equal to 1 kV and 100 kV. Other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited. [0052] In some embodiments, a pulse power device administers an electric pulse with a particular amount of power. In some embodiments, the electric pulse has a power of greater than or equal to 0.5 MW, greater than or equal to 0.6 MW, greater than or equal to 0.7 MW, greater than or equal to 0.8 MW, greater than or equal to 0.9 MW, greater than or equal to 1 MW, greater than or equal to 5 MW, greater than or equal to 10 MW, greater than or equal to 50 MW, greater than or equal to 100 MW, or greater than or equal to 500 MW. In some embodiments, the electric pulse has a power of less than or equal to 1,000 MW, less than or equal to 500 MW, less than or equal to 100 MW, less than or equal to 50 MW, less than or equal to 10 MW, less than or equal to 5 MW, or less than or equal to 1 MW. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.5 MW and less than or equal to 1,000 MW). Of course, other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0053] In some embodiments, an electric current can be administered via a DC power device. In some embodiments, the DC power devices provides electric current by providing a voltage of greater than or equal to 1 V, greater than or equal to 5 V, greater than or equal to 10 V, greater than or equal to 50 V, greater than or equal to 100 V, greater than or equal to 500 V, greater than or equal to 1 kV, greater than or equal to 5 kV, greater than or equal to 10 kV, greater than or equal to 50 kV, greater than or equal to 100 kV, greater than or equal to 500 kV, greater than or equal to 600 kV, greater than or equal to 700 kV, greater than or equal to 800 kV, or greater than or equal to 900 kV. In some embodiments, the DC power device provides a voltage of less than or equal to 1,000 kV, less than or equal to 900 kV, less than or equal to 800 kV, less than or equal to 700 kV, less than or equal to 600 kV, less than or equal to 500 kV, less than or equal to 100 kV, less than or equal to 50 kV, less than or equal to 10 kV, less than or equal to 5 kV, less than or equal to 1 kV, less than or equal to 500 V, less than or equal to 100 V, or less than or equal to 50 V. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 100 kV and less than or equal to 1,000 kV). In another embodiment, the voltage is between or equal to 1 kV and 100 kV. Other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0054] In some embodiments, a DC power device administers an electric current with a particular amount of power. In some embodiments, the electric current has a power of greater than or equal to 0.5 MW, greater than or equal to 0.6 MW, greater than or equal to 0.7 MW, greater than or equal to 0.8 MW, greater than or equal to 0.9 MW, greater than or equal to 1 MW, greater than or equal to 5 MW, greater than or equal to 10 MW, greater than or equal to 50 MW, greater than or equal to 100 MW, greater than or equal to 500 MW, or greater than or equal to 1,000 MW. In some embodiments, the electric current has a power of less than or equal to 1,000 MW, less than or equal to 500 MW, less than or equal to 100 MW, less than or equal to 50 MW, less than or equal to 10 MW, less than or equal to 5 MW, or less than or equal to 1 MW. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 0.5 MW and less than or equal to 1,000 MW). Of course, other ranges are possible as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0055] In some embodiments, after electric stimulation of a geologic formation, the geologic formation may be further stimulated by non-electric device or process. For example, as mentioned elsewhere herein, explosive devices can be used to dislodge ore fragments that have been created during electric stimulation. By way of comparison, a geologic formation where explosives have been applied without electric stimulation (and/or carbonation) creates larger ore fragments that are still difficult to extract resources from; however, electric stimulation (and/or carbonization) prior to providing explosives may pre-weaken the geologic formation by providing fractures (e.g., microfractures) within the geologic formation that can direct the geologic formation to fracture into smaller ore fragments.

[0056] Example: Laboratory Scale Studies

[0057] According to some exemplary embodiments, the inventors have conducted experiments to quantify the BWi for the fracturing of a variety of geological materials (e.g., mafic and ultramafic rocks) using pulsed Electrical Reservoir Stimulation (ERS). In particular, experiments included the fracturing of porphyry ore and mafic-ultramafic nickel sulfide ore. The porphyry ore sample was composed primarily of muscovite, quartz, chalcopyrite, and pyrite while the mafic-ultramafic nickel sulfide ore sample was primarily composed of serpentine mineral lizardite, brucite, pentlandite, magnetite, and pyrrhotite. During testing, core samples of the porphyry ore and mafic-ultramafic nickel sulfide ore were placed in a core flooding cell under a confining pressure of 5 MPa and a pore pressure of 2 MPa. The samples were exposed to high voltage electrical pulses with voltages ranging from 30 kilovolts (kV) to 48 kV and an energy per pulse ranging from 11 Joules (J) to 92 J. From these experiments, an approximately 30% reduction in grinding energy (measured as a percent reduction in BWi) was observed when applying pulsed ERS to the samples to induce fracturing.

[0058] An increase in porosity of the materials resulting from the use of pulsed ERS was also observed. For example, for the porphyry ore samples, increases in average porosity values were measured to be approximately 158%, 246%, and 758% at 45 pulses, 90 pulses, and 135 pulses, respectively. The use of pulsed ERS also resulted in fracture patterns that typically followed along the patterns of mineral grain boundaries in the materials, thereby resulting in increased ore fragmentation and extraction. Accordingly, the inventors have appreciated that the use of pulsed ERS may increase the magnitude and number of the resulting fractures as well as increase the extraction of fragmented ores compared to traditional ERS.

[0059] According to some exemplary embodiments, the inventors have also conducted carbonation experiments to quantify the effectiveness of geologic materials at mineralizing CO2. These experiments included the fracturing of mafic-ultramafic nickel sulfide ore and porphyry ore materials described above using pulsed ERS, which resulted in improved carbonation of the samples. In particular, the experiments were performed in each of a stirred batch reactor and a core flooding cell where the sample was exposed to gaseous CO2 and brine, and the resulting carbonation was observed. The inventors found that permeability of the samples did not decrease during the carbonation experiments as a result of more reactive sites being exposed within the fractured rock using the pulsed ERS, which thus increased carbonation.

[0060] The inventors also found that the use of pulsed ERS on mafic-ultramafic nickel sulfide ore samples prior to carbonation showed a decrease in BWi following pulsing and carbonation relative to a control sample. In some exemplary experiments, the average BWi for the pulsed and carbonated nickel sulfide ore sample was approximately 6.03 kWh/t while the average BWi for the nickel sulfide ore control sample was approximately 7.27 kWh/t. The decrease in BWi for pulsed porphyry ore samples (without carbonation) relative to control samples was also observed. In particular, three different samples of porphyry ore were each pulsed and compared to respective control samples without pulsing. When using pulsed ERS, it was observed that the first sample experienced a 49.2% reduction in average BWi, the second sample experienced a 40.3% reduction in average BWi, and the third sample experienced an 8.8% reduction in average BWi, each relative to the average BWi required for the respective control samples. It was also observed that the different pairs of porphyry ore samples required varying amounts of power consumption (measured as BWi) to achieve the desired resulting particle size of the ore fragments upon fracturing. Specifically, the samples that required a higher BWi using pulsed ERS (e.g., the first sample) also experienced a greater reduction in average BWi (e.g., a 49.2% reduction) when compared to the respective control sample. Likewise, the samples that required a lower BWI (e.g., the third sample) experienced a lesser reduction in average BWi (e.g., an 8.8% reduction) when compared to the respective control sample.

[0061] The disclosed compositions, systems, and methods are suitable for a variety of purposes. As was described in the context of various examples above, the compositions, systems, and methods can be used to extract ore from geologic formations, in particular from relatively low permeability geologic formations. However, other applications are possible, as this disclosure is not so limited. The compositions, systems, and methods can be adapted for ex situ applications, such as reactors for processing ore and/or laboratory applications that require comminuting, or otherwise fragmenting, a solid.

[0062] While several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present disclosure. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present disclosure is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present disclosure is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” [0064] The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0065] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e., “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0066] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0067] Some embodiments may be embodied as a method, of which various examples have been described. The acts performed as part of the methods may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include different (e.g., more or less) acts than those that are described, and/or that may involve performing some acts simultaneously, even though the acts are shown as being performed sequentially in the embodiments specifically described above.

[0068] Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

[0069] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.

Claims

1. A method for comminuting ore, the method comprising: exposing the ore to an electrically conductive fluid; applying a current to the ore to fracture the ore to form fractures in the ore.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fractures comprise microfractures.

3. The method of any one of claims 1-2, wherein a Bond work index of the method is greater than or equal to 5 kJ/kg and less than or equal to 600 kJ/kg.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the ore is an orebody disposed in a subterranean formation.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising injecting the electrically conductive fluid into and/or around the ore.

6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising extracting ore fragments after applying the current to the ore.

7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the ore comprises a plurality of ore fragments.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, further comprising grinding and/or pulverizing the fractured ore.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the ore has a hardness of greater than or equal to 2 Mohs.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the ore has a permeability of less than or equal to 10'¹² m² before applying the current to the ore.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-10, wherein a porosity of the ore is greater than or equal to 0.1% and less than or equal to 80%.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein applying the current to the ore forms new fractures within the ore that were not present prior to applying the current.

13. The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein applying the current to the ore to fracture the ore forms interconnected fractures in the ore.

14. The method of any one of claims 1-13, wherein the electrically conductive fluid comprises a carbonate-forming species.

15. The method of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising reacting a carbonate- forming species of the electrically conductive fluid with ore fragments to form a carbonate compound.

16. A method for comminuting ore, the method comprising: electrically fracturing the ore; and reacting a carbonate-forming species with the ore.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising injecting an electrically conductive fluid into and/or around the orebody and/or ore fragments.

18. The method of any one of claims 16-17, wherein, after reacting the carbonate-forming species with the orebody and/or ore fragments, a hardness of the orebody and/or ore fragments is less than a hardness of the orebody before reacting the carbonate-forming species with the orebody and/or ore fragments.

19. The method of any one of claims 16-18, wherein, after reacting the carbonate-forming species with the orebody and/or ore fragments, a porosity of the orebody and/or ore fragments is less than a hardness of the orebody and/or ore fragments before reacting the carbonate-forming species with the orebody and/or ore fragments.

20. The method of any one of claims 16-19, wherein fracturing comprises forming new fractures within the orebody that were not present prior to applying the current.

21. The method of any one of claims 16-20, further comprising Joule heating at least a portion of the orebody and/or ore fragments.

22. The method of any one of claims 16-21, wherein the orebody has a permeability of less than or equal to 10'¹² m² before electrically fracturing the orebody.

23. A composition, comprising: an orebody comprising a plurality of fractures; a carbonate compound disposed in the plurality of fractures.

24. The composition of claim 23, wherein the plurality of fractures extends from an exterior of the ore fragment towards an interior of the ore fragment.

25. The composition of any one of claims 23-24, wherein the plurality of fractures comprises a plurality of microfractures.

26. The composition of any one of claims 23-25, wherein the carbonate compound is disposed at an interface between the plurality of fractures and a bulk of the orebody.

27. The composition of any one of claims 23-26, wherein the plurality of fractures comprises interconnected fractures within the orebody.

28. The composition of any one of claims 23-27, wherein the orebody is part ore fragment is part of a subterranean formation.

29. The composition of any one of claims 23-28, further comprising a fluid within the plurality of fractures, the fluid comprising a carbonate-forming species, optionally wherein the carbonate-forming species comprises carbon dioxide and/or the fluid comprises supercritical CO2.

30. The composition of any one of claims 23-29, wherein the carbonate-forming species comprise an organic acid.

31. The composition of any one of claims 23-30, wherein the carbonate-forming species comprise a dicarboxylic acid.

32. The composition of any one of claims 23-31, wherein the plurality of fractures has a maximum cross-sectional transverse dimension of less than or equal to 5 cm and greater than or equal to 1 pm.

33. The composition of any one of claims 23-32, wherein the carbonate compound is disposed on and/or at an interface between the plurality of fractures and a bulk of the orebody.

34. The composition of any one of claims 23-33, wherein an interface between the orebody and the plurality of fractures is at a temperature of greater than or equal to 150 °C and less than or equal to 400 °C.