SULPHUR DIOXIDE LEACHING OF URANIUM CONTAINING MATERIAL

Patent · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4296250

Thunaes, A; Rabbits, F T; Hester, K D; Smith, H W

A process is described for extracting uranlum from uranium containing material, such as a low grade pitchblende ore, or mill taillngs, where at least part of the uraniunn is in the +4 oxidation state. After comminuting and magnetically removing any entrained lron particles the general material is made up as an aqueous slurry containing added ferric and manganese salts and treated with sulfur dioxide and aeration to an extent sufficient to form a proportion of oxysulfur acids to give a pH of about 1 to 2 but insufficient to cause excessive removal of the sulfur dioxide gas. After separating from the solids, the leach solution is adjusted to a pH of about 1.25, then treated with metallic iron in the presence of a precipitant such as a soluble phosphate, arsonate, or fluoride.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-13-008418
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2863716
• OSTI ID: 4296250
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

PATENTS
ACIDITY
ACIDS
AIR
FLUORIDES
GASES
IRON
IRON COMPOUNDS
LEACHING
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS
MOTION
ORE PROCESSING
PARTICLES
PHOSPHATES
PITCHBLENDE
PRECIPITATION
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SOLIDS
SOLUBILITY
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SULFUR OXIDES
URANINITES
URANIUM
URANIUM MINERALS
URANIUM ORES
WATER