Patent · US Expired

Method of reducing radioactive waste and of recovering uranium from it

US4265861A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 9, 1979
Grant dateMay 5, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 9, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC22B60/0278
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method is described for reducing the volume of radioactive waste produced during the solution mining of uranium and for recovering uranium from it. The recovery leach, which contains uranium in solution and is supersaturated with calcium carbonate, is treated with bicarbonate and made basic which precipitates calcium carbonate and some of the uranium. The precipitated calcium carbonate is dissolved with acid and the uranium in the solution is removed by extraction or precipitation. The remaining solution is contacted with sulfate ions and barium or strontium ions to precipitate BaSO.sub.4.RaSO.sub.4 or SrSO.sub.4.RaSO.sub.4, the principal radioactive constituent in the solid waste product.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.