the rotating elements of the ore processor bed at 20 into the upper opening 21 of slurry vessel 22 the ore passing over the upper surface portion of the ore processor bed is preferably contacted with a solvent supply 24 such as a water spray directed toward the ore to assist in ore disintegration preferably a heater 23 is provided to heat the solvent supply 24 causing heating of the ore to further assist in obtaining disintegration of the ore passing over the ore processor bed larger rock and other undesirable oversized materials 25 that are too voluminous to be processed in passage over the ore processor bed 14 are carried to a waste conveyor 26 for disposal within slurry vessel 22 the disintegrated ore 20 is mixed with a solvent 28 such as water to form a slurry solution 30 a heater 27 may be provided to heat the solvent 28 and thus heat the slurry solution in the preferred embodiment the lower portion of the slurry vessel has a decreasing cross section relative to the cross section of the upper opening 21 of slurry vessel 22 the decreasing cross section of the slurry vessel permits the force of gravity to urge the slurry solution 30 toward a slurry feed outlet 34 as it passes through the slurry vessel 22 the slurry feed outlet 34 provides.