Extraction of uranium and copper from sulphate leach liquors of West Central Sinai uraniferrous siltstone of Egypt

摘要

Extraction of uranium and copper from sulphate leach liquors of west central Sinai ore samples were performed using solvent extraction technique. Sulphate leach solutions were processed for the extraction of copper using 3 percent v/v LIX 973N. Copper extractions higher than 98.1 percent were obtained. Then, uranium was extracted using a tertiary amine. Two amines have been studied 2 percent v/v tri-n-octyl amine and 1.5 percent Alamine 336. Parameters studied included solvents concentration, contact time and solution pH. Stripping of uranium and copper were studied using sodium carbonate and sulphuric acid, respectively. Conditions were established for determining the number of stages required for extraction and stripping of copper and uranium through the construction of the corresponding McCabe-Theile diagrams. The results obtained have been utilized to formulate a proposed flowsheet for the production of uranium and copper from west central Sinai ore samples.