METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING MOLYBDENUM IN URANIUM IN-SITU RECOVERY PROCESS

摘要

A method of recovering molybdenum includes introducing resin comprising molybdenum anions into an elution vessel and eluting (separating) the molybdenum anions from the resin to form a molybdenum rich eluent. Small amounts of uranium within the eluent is precipitated into sodium diuranate and removed. A further precipitation process is performed to form ferrimolybdate from the molybdenum rich eluent, thus recovering molybdenum. The resin comprising the molybdenum anions may be generated by (1) moving a pregnant lixiviant (containing uranium and molybdenum) through a first extraction apparatus to capture uranium anions in resin and producing a barren lixiviant (containing mostly molybdenum, with small amount of uranium), and (2) moving the barren lixiviant through a second extraction apparatus to capture mostly molybdenum anions in resin.