PROCESS FOR RECOVERING URANIUM USING AN ALKYL PYROPHOSPHORIC ACID AND ALKALINE STRIPPING SOLUTION

摘要

PROCESS FOR RECOVERING URANIUMUSING AN ALKYL PYROPHOSPHORIC ACIDAND ALKALINE STRIPPING SOLUTIONAbstractA process is described for the recovery ofuranium from wet-process phosphoric acid utilizing analkyl pyrophosphoric acid extractant. The extractantalso contains a modifier for retaining the alkylpvrophosphoric acid ester in solution in an essentiallywater-immiscible organic diluent during stripping.After extracting the uranium from wet-process acid,the APPA extractant is treated with an oxidizingagent such as hydrogen peroxide and the uraniumstripped into an alkaline stripping solution. Thealkaline stripping solution is an aqueous solution ofan alkali metal or ammonium carbonate or hydroxide.The barren extractant is recycled for contacting withfresh wet-process acid. Any ferric iron present isprecipitated in the stripping solution and thenseparated from the solution. The uranium is recovered,dried and calcined to a U308 product.