This invention relates to a method of recovering metal values such as gold, copper, nickel, zinc and uranium from ores containing said metal values. The method includes the steps of crushing an ore (10) to provide a sand containing metal values with a P₈₀ of less than 5mm but greater than 1mm; classifying the sand (12) to remove a finer fraction to provide classified sand with a P₁₀ of greater than 0.15mm, and a P₉₀/P₁₀ ratio of less than 25 and greater than 3, forming a heap (18) from the classified sand, and distributing leachant and air through the heap to leach the values from the sand in a pregnant leachate, from which the leached values may be recovered. The invention also relates to a heap formed from ore processed by this method.