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Alkaline Leachings--Its use in Uranium Recovery from Vosges Shales; APPLICATION DE LA LIXIVIATION ALCALINE A L'EXTRACTION DE L'URANIUM DU SCHISTE DES VOSGES

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4255074
Although sulfuric leaching of uranium ores in the only method used in France at the present. Some tests of alkaline leaching of these ores were successful. Vosges shales can only be treated economically with sodium carbonate solutions. The shales are described and the physical and chemical procedures for U extraction are discussed. A laboratory study of alkaline leaching and U recovery following this treatment was made. The results led to a pilot plant and semiindustrial study. It was concluded that the extraction of U from Vosges shales can be done on an industrial scale with a 65 to 80% yield. The sodium carbonate, which is only slightly corrosive, allows the use of ordinary steel, and the low consumption of the chemical (10 to 15 kg/ton of mineral) makes the extraction very economical. Uranium can be recovered by direct precipitition of sodium uranate. The ion-exchange recovery of uranium is economically feasible with alkaline leaching. (J.S.R.)
Research Organization:
Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Paris
NSA Number:
NSA-13-007317
OSTI ID:
4255074
Report Number(s):
A/CONF.15/P/1253
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English