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SUMMARYA computational procedure is presented for solving complex variably saturated ows in porous media, that may easily be implemented into existing conventional ÿnite-volume-based computational uid dynamics codes, so that their functionality might be geared upon to readily enable the modelling of a complex suite of interacting uid, thermal and chemical reaction process physics. This procedure has been integrated within a multi-physics ÿnite volume unstructured mesh framework, allowing arbitrarily complex three-dimensional geometries to be modelled. The model is particularly targeted at ore heap-leaching processes, which encounter complex ow problems, such as inÿltration into dry soil, drainage, perched water tables and ow through heterogeneous materials, but is equally applicable to any process involving ow through porous media, such as in environmental recovery processes. The computational procedure is based on the mixed form of the classical Richards equation, employing an adaptive transformed mixed algorithm that is numerically robust and signiÿcantly reduces compute (or CPU) time. The computational procedure is accurate (compares well with other methods and analytical data), comprehensive (representing any kind of porous ow model), and is computationally e cient. As such, this procedure provides a suitable basis for the implementation of large-scale industrial heap-leach models.

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