Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Kinetics of Alkaline Leaching of UO2 and FeS2 in Co-existing System

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The dissolution of uranium dioxide under oxidative alkaline conditions is critically influenced by iron pyrite (FeS2), which is a gangue mineral commonly found in uranium ores. This paper makes an effort in understanding the kinetics of dissolution of UO2 in a co-existing system of UO2 and FeS2 under the lixiviant combination of Na2CO3 and NaHCO3–O2 at elevated temperature and pressure. Dissolution experiments were carried out in a laboratory batch autoclave reactor using synthetic mixtures of minerals consisting of UO2, FeS2 (reactive gangue—varied from 1 to 6 %), silica (inert gangue) and calcite (inert gangue). The kinetic profiles indicated that the rate of dissolution of UO2 increased with initial increase in FeS2 content in the feed and decreased when the FeS2 weight increased beyond 3 %. The dissolution phenomenon was analysed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McKay A D, and Miezitis Y, Australia’s uranium resources, geology and development of deposits. In: AGSO-Geoscience Australia, Mineral Resource Report 1, (2001) p 184.

  2. Merrit R C. The Extractive Metallurgy of Uranium, Colorado School of Mines Research Institute, Golden Colorado, United States Atomic Energy Commission, Colorado (1971) p 35.

  3. Anon, Manual on Laboratory Testing of Uranium Ore Processing, Technical reports series no. 313, International Atomic Energy Agency (1990) p 45.

  4. Anon, Uranium Extraction Technology, Technical reports series no. 359, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (1993) p 80.

  5. Du Preez, J G H, Morris D C, and Van Vuuren C P J, Hydrometallurgy 6 (1981) 197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mattus Jr A J, and Torma A E, Hydrometallurgy 5 (1980) 179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Du Preez J G H, Morris D C, and Van Vuuren C P J, Hydrometallurgy 6 (1981) 203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ciminelli V S T, and Osseo-Asare K, Metall Mater Trans B, 26B (1995) 209.

  9. Guilinger T R, Schechter R S, and Lake L W, Ind Eng Chem Res 26 (1987) 824.

  10. Joshi J B, Shah Y T, and Albal R S, Ind Eng Chem Process Des Dev 21 (1982) 594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Hossain M M, Ekeroth E, and Jonsson M, J Nucl Mater 358 (2006) 202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Choy C C, Korfiatis G P, and Meng X, J Hazard Mater 136 (2006) 53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Parihar P S, in Proc Conference on Sustainable Mining and the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) UNFC workshop, Ministry of Mines, Government of India. New Delhi (2013).

  14. Chaki A, Panneerselvam A, and Chavan S J, in Proc International Symposium on Uranium Production and Raw Materials for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Supply and Demand, Economics, the Environment and Energy Security, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA-CN-128), Vienna (2005), p 183.

  15. Rao K A, Sreenivas T, Vinjamur, and Suri A K, Hydrometallurgy 146 (2014) 119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Anand Rao K, and Suri A K, Hydrometallurgy 141 (2014) 67.

  17. Suri A K, Padmanabhan N P H, Sreenivas T, Anand Rao K, Singh A K, Shenoy K T, Mishra T, and Ghosh S K, in Proc IAEA Technical Meeting on Low-grade uranium deposits, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (2010).

  18. Padmanabhan N P H, Sreenivas T, Anand Rao K, Manmadha Rao M, Rajan K C, Serajuddin Md, and Karthikayini P, Process Development Studies for the Recovery of Uranium from the Gogi Limestone-type Ore, An Unpublished Internal Report, Mineral Processing Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Hyderabad (2010) 104.

  19. Fogler H S. Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 3rd ed. (ed) Prentice-Hall, Richmond (2004), p 811.

  20. Levenspiel O, Chemical Reaction Engineering, (ed) Wiley, New York (2001).

  21. Lundstrom M, Aromaa J, and Forsen O, Physicochem Probl Miner Process 46 (2011) 263.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Gavrilescu M, Pavel LV, and Cretescu I, J Hazard Mater, 163 (2009) 475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hiskey J B, Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (1979) C 145.

  24. DePablo J, Casa I, Gimenez J, Molera M, Rovira M, Duro L, and Bruno J, Geochim Cosmochim Acta 63 (1999) 3097.

  25. Grandstaff D E, Econ Geol 71 (1976).

  26. Reddy L S R, Unpublished Internal Report of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, (Report No.: AMD/PET/HYD/ODG - 17/2007) (2007).

  27. Roy M, Visakha Sci J 4 (2000) 67.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Roy M, and Dhana Raju R, J Appl Geochem 1 (1999) 53.

  29. Suri A K, Sreenivas T, Anand Rao K, Rajan K C, Srinivas K, Singh A K, Shenoy K T, Mishra T, Padmanabhan N P H, and Ghosh S K, Miner Process Extr Metall (Trans Inst Min Metall Sec.C) 123 (2014) 104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Latha A, Sharma A K, Vishwamohan K, Unpublished Internal Report of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, (Report No.: AMD/PET/12/2009) (2009).

  31. Latha A, Sharma A K, Fahmi S, and Shivakumar K, J Appl Geochem 14 (2012) 316.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Srikantappa C, and Govindaiah S, Indian Miner 44 (2010) 1.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors convey their sincere thanks to their colleagues in chemical laboratory of Mineral Processing Division and Shri Bhaskar Paul of Material Processing Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for the wet chemical analyses and scanning electron microscopy respectively. They also acknowledge the services of the XRD Laboratory of Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in carrying out XRD analyses. The authors also thank Dr. J.K. Chakravartty, Director, Materials Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for his encouragement during the investigations. The authors are thankful for the valuable suggestions from two anonymous reviewers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mineral Processing Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, AMD Complex, Begumpet, Hyderabad, 500 016, India

    K. Anand Rao & T. Sreenivas

  2. Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, 400 076, India

    Madhu Vinjamur

  3. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400 085, India

    A. K. Suri

Authors
  1. K. Anand Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Sreenivas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Madhu Vinjamur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. K. Suri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Anand Rao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Anand Rao, K., Sreenivas, T., Vinjamur, M. et al. Kinetics of Alkaline Leaching of UO2 and FeS2 in Co-existing System. Trans Indian Inst Met 69, 23–31 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-015-0615-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-015-0615-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation