Ore leach liquor

Uranium Extraction from Ore Leach Liquors. Liquid—Hquid extraction is used as an alternative or as a sequel to ion exchange in the selective removal of uranium [7440-61-1] from ore leach Hquors (7,265,271). These Hquors differ from reprocessing feeds in that they are relatively dilute in uranium and only slightly radioactive, and contain sulfuric acid rather than nitric acid. 

Another example of a cost-effective liquid-liquid extraction process is the one used for recoveiw of uranium from ore leach liquors (Fig. 15-3). In this case the solvents, alkyl phosphates in kerosine, are recovered by liquid-liquid extraclion using a strip solution, and the... 

Ryon, Daley, and Lowrie [Chem. Eng. Ftog., 55(10), 70, (1959), U.S. AFC ORNL-2951, I960]. Continuous extraction of uranium from sulfate-ore-leach liquors and kerosine -t- trihiityl phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphoric acid baffled vessels, turbine agitated. There is strong evidence of the influence of a slow chemical reaction. 

Copper. The recovery of copper. Cu. from ore leach liquors as a stage in the hydrometallurgical route lo ihe pure metal is one of the largesi applications of liquid-liquid extraction. 

A solvent to be used for the extraction from ore leach liquors, which may only contain uranium to the extent of about 1 g/1., must be relatively inexpensive in view of the large quantity used per tonne of purified product. It is usual, therefore, to select an organic compound which has an extremely high distribution coefficient for uranium, usually over 100, and to use it in the form of a very dilute solution in a cheap inert diluent. The distribution coefficient for uranium with the diluted solvent may be below 10. 

The forward distribution coefficient of D2EHPA can be increased out of proportion by the addition of relatively small quantities of other organic phosphorus compounds, such as tributyl phosphate or tributyl phosphine oxide, etc. Values of several thousand are obtained at the low uranium concentrations prevailing in ore leach liquors. 

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