RECOVERY OF URANIUM FROM WET PROCESS PHOSPHORIC ACID BY LIQUID-SOLID ION EXCHANGE

摘要

Recovery of uranium from crude wet process phosphoric acid (WPA) by cation exchange using as cation exchanger a resin comprising active amino phosphonic or hydroxy phosphonic groups linked to a matrix. The operational steps comprise reduction of uranium in the WPA to the tetravalent state, contacting the WPA with the cation exchange resin to load the latter with tetravalent uranium, displacing Fe+2 from the resin, washing the resin with aqueous ammonia, eluting the resin with a carbonate-bicarbonate solution and precipitating uranium from the eluate.