The rate of oxygen consumption in a gold heap leaching operation is 6.671061/(m2s) at STP, and 3% of the oxygen is consumed by the gold dissolution reaction involving cyanide. Estimate the rate of gold dissolution by cyanide leaching if the 15m high heap contained 1500kg/m3 of material assaying at 2gg gold/ton if the ratelimiting step is oxygen penetration. How long would it take to extract all of the gold at that rate? How long would complete extraction take if only 0.45% of the oxygen were utilized for the cyanidegold reaction? Answer: 541 days