Raw Materials Economic Studies:A Preliminary Estimate of the Cost of Uranium Recovery Using Dalphex Clarified Leach Liquoe Process

摘要

This report presents the cost of recovery of uranium from a clarified sulfuric acid leach liquor by solvent extrac¬tion using dialkylphosphoric acid reagent (DALPHEX Process).nThe process is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Briefly, it con¬sists of extracting the uranium with di(2-cthylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) dissolved in kerosene containing 30 g 1 of tri-butyl phosphate {TBP) in a four-unit mixer-settler and strip¬ping it from the loaded organic with aqueous sodium carbonate in a two-unit mixer-settler Extraction of iron is prevented by reducing it to the ferrous state with powdered iron in the leach operation The loaded strip solution is neutralized with sulfuric acid, heated to remove carbon dioxide, and ammonium hydroxide is added to precipitate the uranium The process costs end with the filtered and washed cake ready for the drying or calcining operation.