Abstract.The article describes studies on the separation of uranium from acid pregnant leach solutions obtained from Polish uranium ores: dictyonema shales and sandstone rocks. Ion exchange chromatography was applied for uranium sorption, using commercially available, strongly basic anion exchanger, Dowex 1. In model experiments, the infl uence of degree of crosslinking of Dowex 1 on the effi ciency of uranium extraction was investigated. The effect of H 2 SO 4 concentration on the breakthrough curve of uranyl ions for the Dowex 1 resins, of different crosslinking: X4, X8 and X10, was examined. Unexpectedly high increase of exchange capacity of uranium was observed in case of Dowex 1X10. This gives potential opportunity of improving the effectiveness of uranium recovery process. Applying column packed with Dowex 1X10, 'yellow cake' with ca. 92% yield and high purity of recovered uranium was obtained. A block diagram of the procedure for uranium and lanthanides extraction from acidic leach liquor has been proposed.

The recovery of uranium and other valuable metals from Polish Peribaltic sandstones were examined. The solid–liquid extraction is the first stage of the technology of uranium production and it is crucial for the next stages of processing. In the laboratory experiments uranium was leached with efficiencies 71–100 % by acidic lixiviants. Satisfactory results were obtained for the alkaline leaching process. Almost 100 % of uranium was leached with alkaline carbonate solution. In post leaching solutions only uranium and small amounts of vanadium were present.

Abstract. The main objective of the present study was an assessment of the possibility of uranium recovery from domestic resources in Poland. In the fi rst stage uranium was leached from the ground uranium ore by using acidic (sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid) or alkaline (carbonate) solutions. The leaching effi ciencies of uranium were dependent on the type of ore and it reached 81% for Dictyonemic shales and almost 100% for sandstones. The novel leaching routes, with the application of the helical membrane contactor equipped with rotating part were tested. The obtained postleaching solutions were concentrated and purifi ed using solvent extraction or ion exchange chromatography. New methods of solvent extraction, as well as hybrid processes for separation and purifi cation of the product, were studied. Extraction with the use of membrane capillary contactors that has many advantages above conventional methods was also proposed as an alternative purifi cation method. The fi nal product U 3 O 8 could be obtained by the precipitation of 'yellow cake', followed by calcination step. The results of precipitation of ammonium diuranate and uranium peroxide from diluted uranium solution were presented.

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The presented studies deal with an assessment of the possibility of uranium recovery from the low-grade uranium resources in Poland. Uranium was leached from the ground uranium ores with efficiencies in 81-100% range that depend on the type of ore and leaching solution used. In the next step, the post-leaching solution was treated by the solvent extraction or ion exchange chromatography to separate uranium from other metals present in the ore. The novel routes of leaching by using membrane methods were examined. The final product, "yellow cake," was obtained in precipitation step. The studies of precipitation of uranium as ammonium diuranate or uranium peroxide from diluted uranium solutions are presented in this chapter. The work was completed with tentative economic analysis and environmental impact assessment along with radiation protection issues connected to uranium production.