Leaching of Uranium Ores in the Process of Sodium Sulphate Electrolysis

Abstract

When uranium is extracted from concentrates with high silicon content, acid leaching is usually used. The disadvantage of this method is the high consumption, high cost and corrosion activity of the reagents. Moreover, for the oxidation of tetravalent uranium to highly soluble hexavalent uranium, it is necessary to process it with oxidizing agents, for example, oxygen. The work shows the possibility of development and chemical concentration of uranium ores using electrolysis of sodium sulfate. During electrolysis the pH in the anode chambers ranges from 2.2…2.5 to 0.5…0.7 in the near-electrode layer of the electrolyte, which corresponds to the pH range during leaching in agitators. Oxygen released at the anode is able to oxidize uranium to hexavalent one.