Processes for extracting radium from uranium mill tailings

Details Processes for extracting radium from uranium mill tailings Processes for extracting radium from uranium mill tailings

1984-06-01

1987-03-31

Terapane, John F.

Chemistry of inorganic compounds

Treating mixture to obtain metal containing compound

Radioactive metal

C01F 1300, C01F 1500

Patent

active

046542000

ABSTRACT:
The removal of radium from acid-leached uranium mill tailings has been difficult due to its strong retention as mixed sulfates and in adsorbed forms. With this invention the leaching action of a complexing agent (reducing the free radium cation concentration in solution) is combined with that of a reducing agent. Thus, high valency metal hydroxides and basic salts (notably Fe.sup.3+) which tend to retain radium are converted to the lower valency form which is much more soluble in the complexing agent. The reducing agent employed is sodium hydrosulfite, in combination with various organic complexing agents; the preferred complexing agent is EDTA. Over 90% of the radium in uranium leach tailings from Elliot Lake can be removed in 1 hour contact at room temperature with a solution comprising 0.04M of both sodium hydrosulfite and EDTA, with 1.0M potassium chloride added as a surface charge depressant. The gradual addition of the solids to liquid permits the use of low liquid/solid ratios.

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"Isolation of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid from Solutions for Regeneration", S. K. Yagnik et al., Hydrometallurgy, vol. 7 pp. 67-75 (1981).
"Iron Oxide Removal from Soils and Clays by a Dithionite-Citrate System Buffered with Sodium Bicarbonate", pp. 317-327, Clays and Clay Minerals, vol. 7, 1960.
S. R. Borrowman & P. T. Brooks, U.S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations No. R18099 (1975).

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