Metal recovery from porous materials

Patent · 01 January 1992

OSTI ID:868499

Sturcken, Edward F ^[1]

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1. P.O. Box 900, Isle of Palms, SC 29451

A method for recovering plutonium and other metals from materials by leaching comprising the steps of incinerating the materials to form a porous matrix as the residue of incineration, immersing the matrix into acid in a microwave-transparent pressure vessel, sealing the pressure vessel, and applying microwaves so that the temperature and the pressure in the pressure vessel increase. The acid for recovering plutonium can be a mixture of HBF.sub.4 and HNO.sub.3 and preferably the pressure is increased to at least 100 PSI and the temperature to at least 200.degree. C. The porous material can be pulverized before immersion to further increase the leach rate.

• Research Organization: WESTINGHOUSE SAVANNAH RIVER CO
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: Sturcken, Edward F. (P.O. Box 900, Isle of Palms, SC 29451)
• Patent Number(s): US 5154899
• OSTI ID: 868499
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/423/204/
100
200
acid
applying
applying microwave
comprising
degree
form
hbf
hno
immersing
immersion
incinerating
incineration
increase
increased
leach
leaching
material
materials
matrix
metal
metal recovery
metals
method
microwave-transparent
microwaves
mixture
plutonium
porous
porous material
porous materials
porous matrix
preferably
pressure
pressure vessel
psi
pulverized
rate
recovering
recovery
residue
sealing
steps
temperature
vessel