Heap Leach Irrigation Equipment Selection
Driplines, sprinklers, distribution piping, and control valves for copper (sulfuric acid) and gold/silver (cyanide) heap leaching — and where the valve diaphragm, not the pipe, ends up the limiting material.
30+ years spec experience. Send James the process data and get a real answer — not a catalog page.
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Driplines — Leach Line X / A / U
X (standard clogging resistance, non-pressure-compensated), A (upgraded TurbuNext labyrinth, non-pressure-compensated), and U (pressure-compensated, injected silicone diaphragm) — U is the one to spec on sloped heap surfaces, where uniform flow across elevation change matters most. All three weld into 0.90/1.20mm-wall dripline and carry a 60-month warranty.
GyroNet Turbo sprinklers
Full-coverage midi-sprinkler rated for both heap-leach irrigation and evaporation-pond duty. 5 flow rates (200-500 L/h), nominal 2.2 bar. Vendor-stated: engineered to "withstand high acid concentrations found in mines," including a sapphire-bearing EverSpin assembly for wear resistance.
FlexNet HP distribution piping
Flat, coilable, weldable-outlet polypropylene main/sub-main pipe — not rigid pipe — purpose-built for heap-pad terrain. "Zero snaking" under pressure, reusable across pad relocations, 2"-8" diameters. Dedicated hydraulic/electric/manual coil-laying machinery exists for this product line specifically.
75/90/100 Series control valves — "MIN" configuration
The mining-specific valve build across all three series pairs an ALD70 diaphragm with an SST 316 spring — or a Hastelloy diaphragm upgrade for chlorine-based chemistries. This is the valve family the diaphragm chemistry table below governs.
Leaching control skid
A portable, energy-independent, plug-and-play skid rated for raffinate solution to 110°F (copper SX/EW route) and barren cyanide solution to 100°F (gold/silver route) — a real, named dual-chemistry rating confirming the same skid serves both major heap-leach chemistries. Construction: glass-fiber-reinforced polymer frame, PP manifolds, PP+SST316 strainer/control valve.
ALD70 Diaphragm Chemical Resistance — Real, Named Limits
This is the diaphragm material used across Netafim's 75/90/100 Series mining ("MIN" configuration) valve lines. Confirm operating temperature against this table specifically — not just the valve body or liner material.
| Chemical | ALD70 Rating |
|---|---|
| Sulfuric Acid (H₂SO₄) | 38°C max |
| Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) | Good to 35% @ 25°C; Not Good 35% @ 100°C |
| Nitric Acid (HNO₃) | Not Good, even at 10% |
| Chlorine Gas (Cl₂) | Not Good |
| Chlorine Dioxide (ClO₂) | Not Good |
| Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) | Limit 80°C @ 100mg/L; Limit 30°C @ 170mg/L |
| Caustic Soda (NaOH) | Good 70% @ 100°C |
Where it fails outright — chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide, and higher-concentration hypochlorite — Netafim's own catalog names Hastelloy as the substitute diaphragm/spring material, available as an upgrade across the 75/90/100 Series MIN configuration. This independently confirms LibertyCES's existing chlorine-gas/Hastelloy guidance from a second product category (valve diaphragm, not just valve body).
Copper (Acid) vs. Gold/Silver (Cyanide) — Same Equipment Family, Different Rating
Netafim's leaching control skid names both chemistries by name and gives each its own real operating rating: raffinate solution (copper SX/EW route) to 110°F, barren cyanide solution (gold/silver route) to 100°F. Working pressure also differs by chemistry on the same skid family — copper service rated to 90 psi, gold service to 150 psi. Don't assume a skid rated for one leach chemistry automatically carries over to the other without checking the specific rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What irrigation equipment does a heap leach operation need?
A complete heap-leach irrigation system needs pressure-compensated or standard driplines matched to the pad slope, sprinklers rated for acid/cyanide exposure, flexible weldable distribution piping sized to the pad footprint, mining-configuration control valves, and a leaching control skid to monitor and regulate flow and pressure. Netafim publishes a dedicated mining/heap-leaching product line covering all five categories.
Does the same irrigation equipment work for both copper (acid) and gold/silver (cyanide) heap leaching?
The piping, driplines, and sprinklers are largely chemistry-agnostic within their material limits — but valve diaphragm and internal wetted-component selection is not. Netafim's own leaching control skid is rated for both raffinate (copper SX/EW) to 110°F and barren cyanide solution to 100°F, confirming the same skid platform serves both circuits, but always verify the diaphragm/wetted-component chemical rating against your specific leach solution before ordering.
Why does sulfuric acid have such a low temperature rating on the diaphragm chemical resistance chart?
The ALD70 diaphragm used across Netafim's 75/90/100 Series mining valves is rated for sulfuric acid to only 38°C (100°F) — notably more restrictive than the piping and tank material guidance elsewhere on this site, which covers PVDF/ECTFE/PTFE surviving to much higher temperatures at high concentration. A valve's diaphragm elastomer can be the limiting material in the whole system even when the body or liner handles the chemical fine at higher temperatures — confirm operating temperature against the diaphragm rating specifically.
What is the substitute material when the standard diaphragm fails on chlorine-based chemistry?
Netafim's own catalog names Hastelloy as the direct substitute for the three chemistries where the ALD70 diaphragm is rated "Not Good" outright — chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide, and (at higher concentration/temperature) sodium hypochlorite. This is available as an upgrade option across the 75/90/100 Series MIN configuration.
Should driplines be pressure-compensated on a heap leach pad?
On sloped or non-uniform pad surfaces, yes — Netafim's own Leach Line U series is pressure-compensated specifically because standard leach lines can't guarantee uniform flow across elevation change on a heap. On a genuinely flat pad, the non-pressure-compensated X or A series may be adequate and lower-cost, but confirm the actual grade before assuming flat.
Specifying a heap leach irrigation system?
Send James the leach chemistry (acid or cyanide), concentration, pad slope, and flow requirements — we'll confirm the real component fit before you order.
Ready to buy or need a fast answer? Call, text, or email James directly — (559) 395-5500 · [email protected].