THE RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM COMPOSITE UF$sub 4$ REDUCTION BOMB SCRAP BY A TWO-STAGE PHOSPHATE PRECIPITATION PROCESS
The results of laberatory and plant stadies demonstrated that the U present in HCl leach liquor of C-Oxide can be recovered in the form of a concentrate of low fluoride content by a two-stage phosphate precipitation process. (COxide is a by-product of UF/sub 4/ reduction that consists of a 50:50 mixture of MgF/sub 2/ slag and dolomite.) In this precess, the U is precipitated from the leach liquors at pH 1.5 as UO/sub 2/NH/sub 4/PO/sub 4/ (UAP), using H/ sub 3/PO/sub 4/ and NH/sub 4/O H as the preeipitants. This step serves to separate the U from the F in solution The UAP cake then is treated with a solution of NaOH which converts the U to a sodium diurarate type compound and at the same time volatilizes the ammonia and solubilizes most of the phosphate present. The dried product contains, on an average, about 60% U, 3 to 5% phosphate, and <0. 1% fluoride. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- National Lead Co. of Ohio, Cincinnati
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-017898
- OSTI ID:
- 4178146
- Report Number(s):
- NLCO-627
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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