PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF
Abstract
A process is presented for the recovery of uraninm values from impure solutions which are obtained, for example, by washing residual uranium salt or uranium metal deposits from stainless steel surfaces using an aqueous or certain acidic aqueous solutions. The solutions include uranyl and oxidized iron, chromium, nickel, and copper ions and may contain manganese, zinc, and silver ions. In accordance with one procedure. the uranyl ions are reduced to the uranous state, and the impurity ions are complexed with cyanide under acidic conditions. The solution is then treated with ammonium hydroxide or alkali metal hydroxide to precipitate uranous hydroxide away from the complexed impurity ions in the solution. Alternatively, an excess of alkali metal cyanide is added to the reduced solution until the solution becomes sufficiently alkaline for the uranons hydroxide to precipitate. An essential feature in operating the process is in maintaining the pH of the solution sufficiently acid during the complexing operation to prevent the precipitation of the impurity metal hydroxides.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4197149
- Patent Number(s):
- 2911283
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission DTIE; NSA-14-007470
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-007470
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- CHEMISTRY; ACIDITY; ACIDS; ALKALI METALS; AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS; CHROMIUM; COPPER; CYANIDES; DEPOSITS; HYDROXIDES; IMPURITIES; IONS; IRON; MANGANESE; METALS; NICKEL; OXIDATION; PRECIPITATION; RECOVERY; SALTS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SILVER; SOLUTIONS; STAINLESS STEELS; SURFACES; URANIUM; URANIUM HYDROXIDES; URANYL COMPOUNDS; WATER; ZINC
Citation Formats
Kilner, S.B. PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF. United States: N. p., 1959.
Web.
Kilner, S.B. PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF. United States.
Kilner, S.B. Sun .
"PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF". United States.
@article{osti_4197149,
title = {PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM VALUES FROM IMPURE SOLUTIONS THEREOF},
author = {Kilner, S.B.},
abstractNote = {A process is presented for the recovery of uraninm values from impure solutions which are obtained, for example, by washing residual uranium salt or uranium metal deposits from stainless steel surfaces using an aqueous or certain acidic aqueous solutions. The solutions include uranyl and oxidized iron, chromium, nickel, and copper ions and may contain manganese, zinc, and silver ions. In accordance with one procedure. the uranyl ions are reduced to the uranous state, and the impurity ions are complexed with cyanide under acidic conditions. The solution is then treated with ammonium hydroxide or alkali metal hydroxide to precipitate uranous hydroxide away from the complexed impurity ions in the solution. Alternatively, an excess of alkali metal cyanide is added to the reduced solution until the solution becomes sufficiently alkaline for the uranons hydroxide to precipitate. An essential feature in operating the process is in maintaining the pH of the solution sufficiently acid during the complexing operation to prevent the precipitation of the impurity metal hydroxides.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1959},
month = {11}
}