The study of change in extraction degree under the influence of oxidizers while leaching Uranium ore with sulfuric acid

Abstract

Sulfuric acid is extensively used in uranium production with In-Situ Leaching method. The influence of various components on the extraction degree has to be studied in order to optimize the solution spending and extraction degree of uranium. In the context of this article, the extraction degree and overall dynamics of the leaching process is studied by numerically calculating concentrations of dissolved uranium mineral. The calculation is implemented along the path of leaching solution from injection well to production well. Properties that is being studied is the change in extraction degree. The change in extraction degree over time at production well is calculated first without and then with addition of oxidizers, which in case of this work were Iron and Pyrolusite. On the basis of chemical processes a mathematical model was created to simulate uranium extraction process. The results show that adding Iron and Pyrolusite to leaching reaction can increase overall extraction degree of uranium minerals.

Keywords

• extraction degree
• sulfuric acid
• oxidizer
• in-situ leaching
• uranium
• numerical modeling