PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE SELECTIVE SEPARATION OF URANIUM FROM ITS ACCOMPANYING METALS AND FOR ITS RECOVERY

摘要

Disclosed is a process for the selective separation of uranium from metals accompanying it in a uranium-containing ore, comprising the steps of preparing a uranium-containing solution; adding to the solution (i) hydrochloric acid in an amount sufficient to form complex anions of the type (UO2Cln)n-2 wherein n is 3 or 4, or (ii) sulfuric acid in an amount sufficient to form complex anions of the type UO2(SO4)m2-2m wherein m is 2 or 3; adding to the solution a cationic surface active agent which forms a relating insoluble precipitate with the complex anion; subjecting the solution containing said precipitate to a gas flotation step; separating the foam fraction from the liquid fraction; and recovering uranium from the foam fraction. Also disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out the process.