6/3/2019 Class III Injection Wells for Solution Mining | Protecting Underground Sources of Drinking Water from Underground

derground Injection (UIC) | US EPA

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Class III Injection Wells for Solution Mining

On this page:

Use of Class III wells

Class III wells types
Protecting drinking water resources
General requirements for Class III wells
Additional information

Use of Class III wells

Class III wells are used to inject fluids to dissolve and extract minerals.
Production wells, which bring mining fluids to the surface, are not regulated
under the UIC program.

About 165 mining sites with approximately 18,500 Class III wells operate across
the nation.

Class III well types

Class III wells are used to mine:

Uranium
Salt
Copper
Sulfur

More than 50 percent of the salt and 80 percent of the uranium extraction in the
United States involve the use of Class III injection wells.

Uranium in-situ leaching (ISL) is the most common method by which uranium is
extracted in the United States. A typical uranium mining operation requires
injection, extraction, and monitoring wells. The process includes the following
steps.

Injection wells are drilled into the formation containing the uranium.
A solution known as a lixiviant is injected into the mineral bearing
rocks. The solution is allowed to remain in contact with the rocks long
enough to dissolve the uranium ore.

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When the lixiviant is almost saturated with uranium, the fluid is brought to
the surface via a production well.
At the surface, uranium is separated from the lixiviant.
The lixiviant is then injected to extract more uranium.

The majority of Class III wells in the United States are uranium ISL wells.

Salt solution mining wells inject clean water to dissolve the salt. The resulting salt
water (brine) is pumped to the surface where the salt is extracted. Two extraction
methods are used.

Under normal flow, water is injected into the well tubing. The saturated
fluid is produced through the annulus between the tubing and the casing.
If the salt is contained in a dome, a single well typically is used. If the salt
is contained in multiple, bedded layers, multiple injection wells are used.
Salt solution mining wells make up 5 percent of the Class III wells.

Copper is mined using injection wells only in a few states. A sulfuric acid
solution is used to dissolve the copper ore.

Sulfur may be mined via the Frasch process. Super-heated steam is injected into
the mineral-bearing formation to generate a sulfur solution that can be recovered.
Injection wells are not being used to extract sulfur at this time.

Protecting drinking water resources

Solution mining through injection wells is an option that can minimize the
environmental footprint and potential impact to surface water compared to more
traditional mining processes.

To prevent contamination of ground water (which in many cases is a USDW) by

Class III wells, more fluid is extracted than is injected in solution mining
processes. This prevents fluids from moving out of the mining areas.

General requirements for Class III wells

All Class III wells are operated under individual or area permits. Contamination
from mining wells is prevented by implementing requirements for mining well
operators. Before injection begins operators must obtain an aquifer exemption
when:

Solution mining fluids are injected directly into a USDW (which is

common in ISL uranium mining)
Overlying aquifers could subside (a potential occurrence during salt
mining)

Additional owner or operator requirements:

Construct wells with tubing made of materials that are appropriate for the
injected fluids, and cased and cemented to prevent the migration of fluids
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into a USDW.
Pressure test wells prior to injection.
During operation, monitor injection pressure and flow rate. Do not inject
fluid between the outer-most casing and the well bore.
Monitor USDWs below and above the mining interval when solution
mining fluids are injected into a USDW of 3,000 parts per million total
dissolved solids or less.
Test the casings of salt solution mining well for leaks at least once every
five years.
Properly close (plug and abandon) wells when injection operations are
complete.

Additional information
Visit the regulations page to read more about the requirements for owners
and operators of Class III wells.

Cross-Sectional Diagram of Class III Wells

Class III wells inject

fluids for in-situ
mining. Class III
injection requirements

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isolate fluids from

underground sources
of drinking water.

LAST UPDATED ON NOVEMBER 7, 2016

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