Solvent Extraction Of Uranium From Carbonate Solutions PDF Download

A process for recovering uranium from carbonate leach liquors by extraction with quaternary ammonium compounds was developed and evaluated in bench-scale continuous equipment with synthetic liquors. Uranium was recovered from the solvent by direct precipitation with sodium hydroxide --sodium carbonate solution. Results with relatively pure synthetic carbonate liquors were favorable, but attempts to treat a highly contaminated leach liquor from a western mill were relatively unsuccessful owing to interference from sulfate, chloride, thiocyanate, molybdenum, vanadium, and organic matter present. The process is therefore not considered competitive with the precipitation process used in several western carbonate-leach mills. (auth).