(1) Patent Number: 4,572,582 Ryeczek 45 Date of Patent: Feb
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Patent (19) (1) Patent Number: 4,572,582 Ryeczek 45 Date of Patent: Feb. 25, 1986 54) METHOD OF MINING METALS LOCATED 3,288,648 11/1966 Jones ............................... 166/248 X N THE EARTH 3,547,192 12/1970 Claridge et al. .................... 166/248 3,819,231 6/1974 Fehliner ................................... 299/4 76 Inventor: John J. Ryeczek, R.D. #1, Box 190C, Primary Examiner-George A. Suchfield Point Marion, Pa. 15474 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Webb, Burden, Robinson & 21 Appl. No.: 599,994 Webb 22) Filed: Apr. 13, 1984 57 ABSTRACT An earth battery which includes a first electrode which Related U.S. Application Data is a veined material located in the earth, a second elec 62) Division of Ser. No. 384,781, Jun. 4, 1982, Pat. No. trode electrically connected to the surface of the earth 4,457,988. and disposed in a hole which extends from the surface 51 Int. Cl." ....................... E21C 41/06; E21C 41/14 of the earth into the first electrode, an electrolyte dis 52) U.S. C. ........................................ 299/5; 166/248; posed in the hole and in contact with the first and sec 299/7; 299/8 ond electrodes, and means for electrically connecting 58) Field of Search ............................... 299/7, 8, 5, 4; the first electrode to the surface of the earth. A seam of 166/248, 65 R; 429/47, 13, 10 coal is preferred as the first electrode. A method of mining metals located in the earth using the earth bat 56 References Cited tery and a method of drilling holes in the earth are also U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS disclosed. 2,118,669 5/1938 Grebe .................................. 166/248 2,761,829 9/1956 Dolloff ... ... 299/5 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SS2 X U.S. Patent Feb. 25, 1986 Sheet 1 of 5 4,572,582 U.S. Patent Feb. 25, 1986 Sheet 2 of 5 4,572,582 FIG 3 U.S. Patent Feb. 25, 1986 Sheet 3 of 5 4,572,582 2. GE) NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY N 7 QSSSN/>N7& 3SNZ:N×2(SSO)YAZY GE) NNNNYNNNN22 77%ZANt 1N W2X2, O CO W Ká SK Y22N Y 7 582 ffff; 767, Z 3 Navnar NaraNa Nana 5.4, AN s N NY a 7 N 76. N N7 s S& a &J2% 6NC is OO MA ()SS's 3 X CD 22 Y 42R) 2.is 3. 3.& S1 N.29 U.S. Patent Feb. 25, 1986 Sheet 4 of 5 4,572,582 42 /2EA FIG.5 U.S. Patent Feb. 25, 1986 Sheet 5 of 5 4,572,582 s T EE 44 Sasco-emic d N NZN E NNW. % E. (7 (2:13::::: V fly-Cé r (XXS.CN O 4,572,582 1. 2 Another object of the present invention is to provide METHOD OF MINING METALS LOCATED IN such a battery which is capable of generating electricity THE EARTH as well as capable of storing electrical energy. It is yet a further object of the present invention to This application is a division of application Ser. No. 5 utilize such a battery in the mining of veined materials 384,781 filed June 4, 1982, new U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,988. located in the earth. DESCRIPTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Therefore, I have invented an electric battery which This invention pertains to earth batteries or electric 10 includes a first and second spaced electrode and an wells and, more particularly, to a battery in which one electrolyte in the space between the electrodes and in electrode is a veined material located in the earth. contact therewith, in which the first of the electrodes is a veined material located in the earth. In one embodi 2. Background Art ment, the second electrode is disposed in a hole which Batteries which convert the chemical energy con 5 extends from the surface of the earth into the first elec tained in their active materials directly into electrical trode and is electrically connected to the surface of the energy by means of an oxidation-reduction electro earth, an electrolyte is disposed in the hole and in chemical reaction are well-known in the art. Such bat contact with the electrodes, and the first electrode is teries, in their most basic sense, include a pair of spaced electrically connected to the surface of the earth. The apart electrodes and an electrolyte in the space between 20 battery may also include a casing disposed within the the electrodes. During the electrochemical reaction hole and surrounding the second electrode, such that electrons are transferred from one electrode to the the casing contains the electrolyte and permits contact other and produce an electrical current when an exter of the electrolyte only with the first electrode but not nal circuit is connected between the electrodes. with the surrounding earth. The first electrode is elec The electrode which gives up electrons during the 25 trically connected to the earth's surface by way of one reaction, and is oxidized in the process, is referred to as or more cables anchored thereto and located either the anode. The other electrode, which is capable of within the hole or outside of the hole. The gases gener accepting electrons and is an oxidizing material for the ated during the battery operation may be recovered and overall process, is referred to as the cathode. The elec used as desired. trolyte, generally an aqueous solution, provides the 30 The first electrode is preferably a veined material necessary internal ionic conductivity for the flow of located in the earth and may be a seam or vein of coal, electrons released at the anode. The electrolyte may graphite, magnetite, nickeline, sphalerite, arsenic, sider also be a solid material. ite, gold, silver, or copper. The anode, cathode and the electrolyte may be made I have also invented a method of mining metals lo of a variety of materials, as is well known in the art. The 35 cated in the earth using the earth battery of the present only requirement for the anode and cathode is that one invention. The method includes the steps of drilling a material must give up electrons at a faster rate than the hole from the earth's surface into the metal to be mined, other material, and thereby acquire a positive charge placing an electrolyte in the hole and in contact with with respect to the other material. In one common bat the metal, positioning a recovery electrode within the tery arrangement, one electrode is made of carbon or 40 hole and at least partially immersed in the electrolyte, copper, the other electrode is made of zinc and the making electrical contact with the metal, passing an electrolyte is sulphuric acid (H2SO4). electric current through the metal, electrolyte and re Various arrangements of these batteries, and the vari covery electrode such that the metal will be deposited ous combinations of materials which may be used for on the recovery electrode, and removing the deposited the electrodes and the electrolyte is discussed in Fink, 45 metal from the recovery electrode. Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers, Eleventh I have also invented a method of drilling holes in the Ed. 1978, pages 11-92 to 11-141, and is incorporated earth using the present invention. The method includes herein by reference. the steps of predrilling a small hole into the earth for a It is also known in the art to use the earth as an elec desired distance, placing a quantity of acid into the 50 small hole such that the acid will seep into and soften trolyte in a battery. Typically, two spaced electrodes the area around the small hole, and then drilling a hole are buried in the ground, and the ground, by itself or through the area softened by the acid. The acid may be moistened with a chemical, functions as the electrolyte. neutralized prior to the final drilling step. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 155,209; 160,152; 182,802; 211,322; 329,724; 495,582; and 728,381. In the process disclosed 55 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS in U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,335, an oil bearing formation FIG. 1 is a partial cross section taken through the forms a portion of an electrolyte and electrical energy is earth and through one embodiment of an earth battery produced through the growth of bacteria in the forma in accordance with the present invention; tion. However, in each of these prior art patents, the FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of electrodes are the typical zinc, carbon or copper plates 60 the second electrode; or rods which are inserted into the earth, and the earth FIG. 3 is a cross section of the bottom portion of one is used solely as an electrolyte. embodiment of the casing; It is an object of the present invention to provide a FIG. 4 is a cross section taken through the earth battery in which a portion of the earth is one electrode showing several alternative arrangements of the earth thereof. 65 battery; It is a further object of the present invention to pro FIG. 5 is a cross section taken through the earth vide a battery in which one electrode is a veined mate showing one embodiment of a gas recovery mechanism rial in the earth. for the earth battery; and 4,572,582 3 4. FIG. 6 is a partial cross section taken through the first electrode may be regulated by a vacuum pump 52 earth showing one embodiment of a metal recovery connected to the inside of the casing 24.