IL43501A

IL43501A - Process for recovery of uranium from a solution containing phosphoric acid

Info

Publication number: IL43501A
Application number: IL43501A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Allied Chem
Priority date: 1972-11-30
Filing date: 1973-10-28
Publication date: 1976-09-30
Also published as: IL43501A0; US3880980A

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A process for recovering uranium from a solutio containing phosphoric acid, uranium in the hexavalent state and a chloride salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal chloride, alkaline earth metal chloride and ammonium chloride., comprising the steps- of: (a) contacting the solution with a reductant capable of converting said uranium from the hexavalent to : the tetravalent 3tate; (b) contacting the reduced solution with an organic extraetant capable of separating said phosphoric acid therefrom; and (c) recovering said uranium from the remaining constituents of said solution.

2. A process as recited in claim 1 'wherein said solution is obtained by hydrochloric acid digestion of phosphate rock.

3. A process as recited in claim 1 wherein said uranium is recovered from said remaining constituents of said solution by: (a) contacting said. remaining constituents with an oxidant capable of converting said uranium from the tetravalent to the hexavalent state; (b) contacting the oxidized solution with an anion exchange resin capable of adsorbing said uranium; (c) removing said uranium from said anion exchange resin by means of a solvent; and (d) recovering said uranium from the resulting solution.

4. A process as recited in claim 1 wherein said reductant is selected from the group consisting of elementary iron, elementary aluminum, hydrogen sulfide, sodium hydrosulfite and formaldehyde-sodium hydrosulfoxylate.

5. A process as recited in claim 1 wherein the reduction step is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 10 °C. to the boiling point of said solution.

6. A process as recited in claim 1 wherein the extractant is selected from the group consisting of butanols, pentanols, trialkylphosphates having alkyl groups containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, Ν,Ν-disubstituted amides derived from monocarboxylic acids having 1 to 3 carbon atoms , kerosene , or other hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

7. A process as recited in claim 3 wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of trivalent iron salts, sodium chlorate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium chlorite and elementary chlorine.

8. A process as recited in claim 3 wherein the oxidation step is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 10°C. to the boiling point of the solution.

9. A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said solution is a 3 ft 10 molar chloride ion solution.

10. A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said uranium is recovered from the solution of step (d) by: a) neutralizing said solution;. (b) contacting said solution with a sufficient quantity of ammonia to precipitate a hexavalent uranium-containing compound therefrom; and (c) washing and calcining said compound to produce uranium trioxide.

11. A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said uranium is recovered from the solution of step (d) by: (a) evaporating said solution so as to bring the uranium concentration thereof to at least about one percent by weight of the ' solution; (b) contacting said solution with a sufficient amount of a reductant to reduce the uranium therein from the hexavalent to the tetravalent state; (c) contacting the reduced, solution with a sufficient amount of hydrogen fluoride and ammonium fluoride to precipitate the uranium from said solut on in the form of crystalline ammonium uranous penta- fluoride; and (d) separating, washing and calcining the precipitate to form uranium tetrafluoride .