RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM RAND GOLD ORES. Summary Report for Period July 1948-October 1949

Technical Report · Mon Jan 16 04:00:00 EST 1950

OSTI ID:4062067

Dasher, J; MacDonald, R D; Oberg, F N

Investigations of the extraction of uranium from the Witwatersrand gold ores are summarized. Several tons of these residues were leached countercurrently and the leach solutions precipitated with magnesia or calcined dolomite. The low-grade product (1 to 2% U/sub 3/O/sub 8/) was retreated by various methods. Single-stage leach processes were developed in which the pulp was neutralized with limestone to pH 3.5 before filtration. These gave precipitates assaying 3 to 10% U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ which were easier to retreat. Three feasible and economical retreatment methods were developed: acid digestion- peroxide, carbonate leaching, and ether leaching. Selective precipitation of uranium from reduced leach liquors with Na/sub 4/P/sub 2/O/sub 7/ was also demonstrated to be a practical process. The uranium assays required were obtained by fluorimetric methods. (auth)

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Watertown. Mineral Engineering Lab.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-014336
• OSTI ID: 4062067
• Report Number(s): MITG-A83
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACIDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CHEMISTRY
COUNTER CURRENT
ETHERS
FLUORESCENCE
FLUOROMETRY
GOLD
HYDROGEN PEROXIDES
LEACHING
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
ORES
PHOTOMETRY
PRECIPITATION
RECOVERY
SODIUM PHOSPHATES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
URANIUM
URANIUM OXIDES