Process for Metals Leaching and Recovery from Radioactive Wastes

摘要

Provided is a process for recovering metals from solid radioactive waste, preferably uranium, cesium, mercury, thorium, rare earths or combinations thereof. The process comprises a leaching step and a separation step. The leaching step comprises contacting the solid radioactive waste with an aqueous inorganic acid and a leaching salt to produce a mixture of a metal-rich leachate and a metal-poor waste, which are separated in the separation step. Also provided is a process for recovering metals from solid radioactive waste comprising an attrition step, a leaching step, a washing step, a combination step and a recovery step.

主权项

1. A process for recovering metals from solid radioactive waste comprising the metals, the process comprising:
a) a leaching step comprising contacting the solid radioactive waste with an aqueous inorganic acid at a concentration between about 0.1 M and about 2 M, and a leaching salt, at a temperature lower than about 100° C., to solubilize at least a portion of the metals present in the solid radioactive waste, thereby producing a mixture of a metal-rich leachate and a metal-poor waste; and b) a separation step comprising separating the metal-rich leachate from the metal-poor waste.