Iron EDTA chelate catalyzed oxidation of uranium

Patent · Tue Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6354699

Jackovitz, J F; Panson, A J; Pantier, E A

Uranium ore deposits which contain uranium in the relatively insoluble tetravalent state are readily selectively leached in situ to recover relatively pure uranium compounds, by: (A) passing through the ore deposit a relatively dilute aqueous leach solution of ammonium bicarbonate, ferric ammonium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and a source of oxygen, the leach solution converting the tetravalent uranium to hexavalent uranium which readily dissolves in the leach solution; (B) withdrawing the reacted leach solution enriched in dissolved uranium from the ore deposit; and (C) stripping the uranium from the withdrawn leach solution. The stripping of the uranium from the leach solution is preferably accomplished by countercurrent flow of the enriched leach solution to a column of base anion exchange material which preferentially extracts the uranium. Base anion exchange material loaded with uranium is separated from the leach solution and is treated with an aqueous alkaline eluant to extract the uranium and to regenerate the base anion exchange material. The stripped leach solution is adjusted by adding ammonium bicarbonate, peroxide, and ferric ammonium edta, and its ph corrected if necessary, and the leach solution is recycled through the ore deposit. The uranium bearing eluant is then acidified and treated with ammonia to precipitate relatively pure ammonium diuranate (Adu).

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
• Patent Number(s): US 4243638
• Application Number: TRN: 81-014912
• OSTI ID: 6354699
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 15 Jun 1978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
URANIUM
ION EXCHANGE
URANIUM ORES
SOLUTION MINING
AMMONIUM URANATES
EDTA
IN-SITU PROCESSING
LEACHING
OXIDATION
RECYCLING
URANIUM DEPOSITS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
AMINO ACIDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHELATING AGENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
ORES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANATES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
050300* - Nuclear Fuels- Mining- (-1987)