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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Heap leaching studies on uranium ore, Phase IV. Open file report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5193656
This report describes laboratory as well as pilot heap leaching investigations of low-grade sandstone ores from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado. Sodium carbonate-bicarbonate solutions containing sodium hypochlorite extracted up to 86, 54, and 16 percent U3O8 from Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado ores, respectively. Ammonium carbonate-bicarbonate solutions containing sodium hypochlorite were less effective at leaching these ores. Acid leach in replicate pilot plant testing resulted in U3O8 extractions of 96, 88, and 81 percent from the Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado ores. The development of cost-effective processes for extracting uranium from low-grade ore is essential to the assurance of a continuing domestic supply of uranium.
Research Organization:
Colorado School of Mines, Golden (USA). Research Inst.
OSTI ID:
5193656
Report Number(s):
PB-272716
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English