Iron EDTA chelate catalyzed oxidation of uranium
US4243638A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 1978 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P10/20
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Uranium ore deposits which contain uranium in the relatively insoluble tetravalent state are readily selectively leached in situ to recover relatively pure uranium compounds, by: (a) passing through the ore deposit a relatively dilute aqueous leach solution of ammonium bicarbonate, ferric ammonium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and a source of oxygen, the leach solution converting the tetravalent uranium to hexavalent uranium which readily dissolves in the leach solution; (b) withdrawing the reacted leach solution enriched in dissolved uranium from the ore deposit; and (c) stripping the uranium from the withdrawn leach solution. The stripping of the uranium from the leach solution is preferably accomplished by countercurrent flow of the enriched leach solution to a column of base anion exchange material which preferentially extracts the uranium. Base anion exchange material loaded with uranium is separated from the leach solution and is treated with an aqueous alkaline eluant to extract the uranium and to regenerate the base anion exchange material. The stripped leach solution is adjusted by adding ammonium bicarbonate, peroxide, and ferric ammonium EDTA, and its pH correc…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.