URANIUM EXTRACTION
Abstract
The recovery of uranium values from uranium ore such as pitchblende is described. The ore is first dissolved in nitric acid, and a water soluble nitrate is added as a salting out agent. The resulting feed solution is then contacted with diethyl ether, whereby the bulk of the uranyl nitrate and a portion of the impurities are taken up by the ether. This acid ether extract is then separated from the aqueous raffinate, and contacted with water causing back extractioa of the uranyl nitrate and impurities into the water to form a crude liquor. After separation from the ether extract, this crude liquor is heated to about 118 deg C to obtain molten uranyl nitrate hexahydratc. After being slightly cooled the uranyl nitrate hexahydrate is contacted with acid free diethyl ether whereby the bulk of the uranyl nitrate is dissolved into the ethcr to form a neutral ether solution while most of the impurities remain in the aqueous waste. After separation from the aqueous waste, the resultant ether solution is washed with about l0% of its volume of water to free it of any dissolved impurities and is then contacted with at least one half its volume of water wherebymore »
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- OSTI Identifier:
- 4287249
- Patent Number(s):
- 2841466
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01G - COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-000979
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- PATENTS; ACIDITY; ETHERS; ETHYL RADICALS; HEATING; IMPURITIES; MELTING; NITRATES; NITRIC ACID; PITCHBLENDE; RECOVERY; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SOLUTIONS; URANINITES; URANIUM MINERALS; URANIUM ORES; URANYL NITRATES; WATER
Citation Formats
Harrington, C D, and Opie, J V. URANIUM EXTRACTION. United States: N. p., 1958.
Web.
Harrington, C D, & Opie, J V. URANIUM EXTRACTION. United States.
Harrington, C D, and Opie, J V. Tue .
"URANIUM EXTRACTION". United States.
@article{osti_4287249,
title = {URANIUM EXTRACTION},
author = {Harrington, C D and Opie, J V},
abstractNote = {The recovery of uranium values from uranium ore such as pitchblende is described. The ore is first dissolved in nitric acid, and a water soluble nitrate is added as a salting out agent. The resulting feed solution is then contacted with diethyl ether, whereby the bulk of the uranyl nitrate and a portion of the impurities are taken up by the ether. This acid ether extract is then separated from the aqueous raffinate, and contacted with water causing back extractioa of the uranyl nitrate and impurities into the water to form a crude liquor. After separation from the ether extract, this crude liquor is heated to about 118 deg C to obtain molten uranyl nitrate hexahydratc. After being slightly cooled the uranyl nitrate hexahydrate is contacted with acid free diethyl ether whereby the bulk of the uranyl nitrate is dissolved into the ethcr to form a neutral ether solution while most of the impurities remain in the aqueous waste. After separation from the aqueous waste, the resultant ether solution is washed with about l0% of its volume of water to free it of any dissolved impurities and is then contacted with at least one half its volume of water whereby the uranyl nitrate is extracted into the water to form an aqueous product solution.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1958},
month = {7}
}