Abstract
The technology of in-situ and dump leaching, used widely by hydrometallurgists, can be applied with advantage to the exploitation of phosphate rock deposits especially those low in limestone. Nitric or hydrochloric acids of certain concentrations would be used instead of H2SO4 and the solutions obtained treated to remove radium and recover uranium and the lanthanides if desired, then evaporated to crystallize the double salt CaXH2PO4⋅H2O, where X = Cl or NO3; this can be decomposed at 200°–250°C to form dicalcium phosphate, CaHPO4, a high grade marketable product. Nearly all the acid required for leaching can be regenerated and recycled.
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References
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Habashi, F. In-situ and dump leaching technology: Application to phosphate rock. Fertilizer Research 18, 275–279 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01049577
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01049577