Extraction of uranium from seawater: evaluation of uranium resources and plant siting
This report deals with the evaluation of U.S. coastal waters as a uranium resource and with the selection of a suitable site for construction of a large-scale plant for uranium extraction. Evaluation of the resource revealed that although the concentration of uranium is quite low, about 3.3 ppB in seawater of average oceanic salinity, the amount present in the total volume of the oceans is very great, some 4.5 billion metric tons. Of this, perhaps only that uranium contained in the upper 100 meters or so of the surface well-mixed layer should be considered accessible for recovery, some 160 million tonnes. The study indicated that open ocean seawater acquired for the purpose of uranium extraction would be a more favorable resource than rivers entering the sea, cooling water of power plants, or the feed or effluent streams of existing plants producing other products such as magnesium, bromine, or potable and/or agricultural water from seawater. Various considerations led to the selection of a site for a pumped seawater coastal plant at a coastal location. Puerto Yabucoa, Puerto Rico was selected. Recommendations are given for further studies. 21 figures, 8 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (USA). School of Oceanography
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-13-1664
- OSTI ID:
- 6191296
- Report Number(s):
- GJBX-35(79)(Vol.1); XN-RT-14(Vol.1); TRN: 79-008885
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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