PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF

Patent · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4197149

Kilner, S B

A process is presented for the recovery of uraninm values from impure solutions which are obtained, for example, by washing residual uranium salt or uranium metal deposits from stainless steel surfaces using an aqueous or certain acidic aqueous solutions. The solutions include uranyl and oxidized iron, chromium, nickel, and copper ions and may contain manganese, zinc, and silver ions. In accordance with one procedure. the uranyl ions are reduced to the uranous state, and the impurity ions are complexed with cyanide under acidic conditions. The solution is then treated with ammonium hydroxide or alkali metal hydroxide to precipitate uranous hydroxide away from the complexed impurity ions in the solution. Alternatively, an excess of alkali metal cyanide is added to the reduced solution until the solution becomes sufficiently alkaline for the uranons hydroxide to precipitate. An essential feature in operating the process is in maintaining the pH of the solution sufficiently acid during the complexing operation to prevent the precipitation of the impurity metal hydroxides.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-14-007470
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2911283
• OSTI ID: 4197149
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ACIDITY
ACIDS
ALKALI METALS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM
COPPER
CYANIDES
DEPOSITS
HYDROXIDES
IMPURITIES
IONS
IRON
MANGANESE
METALS
NICKEL
OXIDATION
PRECIPITATION
RECOVERY
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILVER
SOLUTIONS
STAINLESS STEELS
SURFACES
URANIUM
URANIUM HYDROXIDES
URANYL COMPOUNDS
WATER
ZINC