What is “in-situ” mining and what makes it a better choice than “ex-situ” mining?
In ex-situ mining, the shale is taken above ground to be processed in retorts. This can lead to significant disturbance in the land surrounding it, as well as large quantities of spent shale, which must then be disposed of. In in-situ mining, the shale is raised to high temperatures through existing or created fractures in the rock. In-situ minimizes the majority of environmental disturbances, though careful attention must be paid to make certain groundwater contamination does not occur. Our decision to focus on the illite layer which is hundreds of feet below the aquifer addresses this problem. Moreover, AMSO’s process, however, eliminates direct injection of fluids into the subsurface, minimizing the potential for impact on groundwater.
