Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The drill head used to create the bore can be steered in response to information about the concentration of the resource in the strata through which the drill head is passing, in order to keep the bore within resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time. Saturated solution can then be pumped from the planar cavern, and the resource recovered from the saturated solution by evaporation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time. Saturated solution can then be pumped from the planar cavern, and the resource recovered from the saturated solution by evaporation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The drill head used to create the bore can be steered in response to information about the concentration of the resource in the strata through which the drill head is passing, in order to keep the bore within resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time.