Evaluation of the effectiveness of the filtration leaching for uranium recovery from uranium ore

The physical and chemical processes taking place in filtration leaching of uranium from uranium ore sample by sulphuric acid solution have been studied by modern physico-chemical methods (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, optical emission spectroscope, ICP OES). Column leaching test was carried out for ore samples obtained from a uranium in-situ leaching (ISL) mining site using deluted sulphuricacid to study the evolution of various elements concentration in the pregnant leach solution. It has been shown that the uranium in pregnant solutions appears by dissolution of calcium and magnesium carbonates and uranium minerals as well. It was found the decreasing of filtration coefficient from 0.099 m day-1 to 0.082 m day-1, due to the presence of mechanical and chemical mudding. Partial extraction of uranium (85%) from the ore has been explained by the slow diffusion of sulfuric acid to the uranium minerals locates in the cracks of silicate minerals. It was concluded that the studied uranium ore sample according to adverse geotechnical parameters is not suitable for uranium extraction by filtration leaching