Investigation of microbially induced permeability loss during in-situ leaching. Contract research report 23 feb 81-15 jul 82

Technical Report · Fri Apr 16 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5994658

Brierley, C L; Brierley, J A

Accumulations of microorganisms in the in situ leaching environment are believed responsible for plugging of the orebody and thus decreasing uranium extraction. To assess the contribution of microbial growth to this problem, packed columns of ore and core specimens were leached in the laboratory. Samples collected at four in situ uranium mining operations revealed pseudomonads, Xanthomonads, Bacillus sp. and Micrococcus sp. These microorganisms, inoculated into simulated leaching conditions, decreased permeability in two uranium ores by one order of magnitude in 20 days. Hydrogen peroxide alleviated microbial plugging in the laboratory. Periodic injection of hydrogen peroxide through the production well into the orebody may reduce microbial plugging problems in the field.

• Research Organization: New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5994658
• Report Number(s): PB-83-205534
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
SOLUTION MINING
ANTIFOULANTS
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
URANIUM ORES
BACTERIA
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
LEACHING
LOSSES
MICROORGANISMS
PERMEABILITY
VIRUSES
DISSOLUTION
FOULING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MINING
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PEROXIDES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WATER
050300* - Nuclear Fuels- Mining- (-1987)