RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM LOW GRADE URANIUM BEARING ORES

Patent · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1959

OSTI ID:4208498

Rhodes, H B; Pesold, W F; Hirshon, J M

Recovery of U, Fe, and Al from Chattanooga shale is described. Ground shale (-4 to +325 mesh) is roasted to remove organic and volatile matter. The heated shale is then reacted with a chlorinating agent (CCl/sub 4/, COCl/sub 2/, Cl, and SCl) at 600 to 1000 C. The metal chloride vapor is separated from entrained solids and then contacted with a liquid alkali metal chloride which removes U. The U is reeovered by cooling and dissolving the bath followed by acidification and solvent extraction. A condensed phase of Al, Fe, and K chlorides is treated to separate Al as alumina by passing through a Fe/sub 2/O/ sub 3/ bed. The remaining FeCl/sub 3/ is oxidized by O/sub 2/ at 1000 C to form Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and Cl/sub 2/. Alternatively, vapor from the U separation step may be passed to a liquid KCl bath at 500 to 650 C. The resulting mixture is oxidized to form Cl/sub 2/ and Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ + Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. The Al and Fe are separated by reaction with NaOH at high temperatures and pressures. (T.R.H.)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-13-021813
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2890099
• OSTI ID: 4208498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALKALI METALS
ALUMINUM
ALUMINUM CHLORIDES
ALUMINUM OXIDES
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
CARBONYLS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE
COOLING
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IRON
IRON CHLORIDES
IRON OXIDES
LIQUEFYING
LIQUIDS
MIXING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PHOSGENE
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
PRESSURE
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SOLIDS
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SULFUR CHLORIDES
TECHNOLOGY
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM
URANIUM ORES
VAPORS
VOLATILITY