Purification of in situ leaching solution for uranium mining by removing solids from suspension

Pastukhov, A. M.; Рычков, В. Н.; Smirnov, Alexander; Skripchenko, S. Yu.; Poponin, N. A.

doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2013.09.007

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…In ore deposits, uraninite stability during oxidative leaching is of economic and environmental consequence. 5 Noncrystalline forms of U-(IV) 6−9 are also produced in natural sediments and often cooccur with uraninite. 2,6,10 However, these forms of U(IV) appear to be significantly less stable than uraninite.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12 Groundwater naturally contains DO, and uraninite oxidation is therefore expected to be of broad and acute scientific importance to fate and transport of uranium in contaminated aquifers. Uraninite oxidation also is likely to mediate environmental impacts of in situ uranium leach recovery from shallow ores, 5,13 and is a potential uranium release mechanism from nuclear fuel interned in cooling ponds or geologic repositories. 14,15 Aquifers exhibit substantial variations in DO laterally and vertically.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Uraninite is produced during in situ bioreduction of soluble U(VI) to less soluble U(IV) to attenuate dissolved uranium in groundwater. − Uraninite also occurs naturally in shallow sulfidic aquifer sediments, where its slow dissolution may help to maintain uranium contaminant plumes. In ore deposits, uraninite stability during oxidative leaching is of economic and environmental consequence . Noncrystalline forms of U(IV) − are also produced in natural sediments and often co-occur with uraninite. ,, However, these forms of U(IV) appear to be significantly less stable than uraninite .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-Term in Situ Oxidation of Biogenic Uraninite in an Alluvial Aquifer: Impact of Dissolved Oxygen and Calcium

Lezama‐Pacheco

Cerrato

Veeramani

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Oxidative dissolution controls uranium release to (sub)oxic pore waters from biogenic uraninite produced by natural or engineered processes, such as bioremediation. Laboratory studies show that uraninite dissolution is profoundly influenced by dissolved oxygen (DO), carbonate, and solutes such as Ca 2+. In complex and heterogeneous subsurface environments, the concentrations of these solutes vary in time and space. Knowledge of dissolution processes and kinetics occurring over the long-term under such conditions is needed to predict subsurface uranium behavior and optimize the selection and performance of uraninite-based remediation technologies over multiyear periods. We have assessed dissolution of biogenic uraninite deployed in wells at the Rifle, CO, DOE research site over a 22 month period. Uraninite loss rates were highly sensitive to DO, with near-complete loss at >0.6 mg/L over this period but no measurable loss at lower DO. We conclude that uraninite can be stable over decadal time scales in aquifers under low DO conditions. U(VI) solid products were absent over a wide range of DO values, suggesting that dissolution proceeded through complexation and removal of oxidized surface uranium atoms by carbonate. Moreover, under the groundwater conditions present, Ca 2+ binds strongly to uraninite surfaces at structural uranium sites, impacting uranium fate.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Long-Term in Situ Oxidation of Biogenic Uraninite in an Alluvial Aquifer: Impact of Dissolved Oxygen and Calcium

Lezama‐Pacheco

Cerrato

Veeramani

et al. 2015

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Maintaining adequate lixiviant flow rates into the ore formation is often difficult in ISR operations due to aquifer plugging. This can be caused by microbe growth and swelling-dispersion of clays (Pugliese and Larson, 1989), by suspended particles entrained in the injection solution (Pastukhov et al, 2014), or by precipitation of iron oxyhydroxides.…”

Section: Observation Wells For Monitoring Groundwater During the Isr mentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential aquifer vulnerability in regions down-gradient from uranium in situ recovery (ISR) sites

Saunders

Pivetz

Voorhies

et al. 2016

Journal of Environmental Management

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“…With the development of mining technology, the mining method of sandstone-type uranium deposits has evolved from conventional open pit/underground mining to in situ leaching (ISL) worldwide [3]. ISL mining possesses many important operating advantages, including minimal surface disturbance, lowered energy consumption, fewer workers involved in the production, and safer operating conditions [4]. In China, uranium production only accounts for about a quarter of the requirements [5], and the import dependency on uranium resources continues to rise under the "Dual Carbon" goals [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineral Composition and Full-Scale Pore Structure of Qianjiadian Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposits: Application for In Situ Leaching Mining

et al. 2022

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In situ leaching (ISL) is becoming the main mining practice for sandstone-type uranium deposits in China. The key to ISL technology is to aid the leaching solution in contacting the ore bed over a large range, which will induce a series of chemical reactions to extract uranium; thus, it is essential to thoroughly understand the reservoir physical properties of uranium deposits. Taking the Qianjiadian sandstone-type uranium deposits (southern Songliao Basin, China) as an example, the mineral composition and pore structure of samples in different layers were measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thin section analysis (TSA), low-temperature N2 adsorption (LTN2A), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and their influences on the ISL effect were analyzed. The results show that more than 65% of the minerals in the Qianjiadian uranium deposits are felsic minerals, and the carbonate minerals, clay minerals, and augite are auxiliary minerals. The primary intergranular pores, intergranular-dissolved pores, intragranular-dissolved pores, intercrystalline pores, and microfractures are developed in uranium deposits with various lithologies to different degrees. The macropores ( >1000 nm) and mesopores (100-1000 nm) of medium sandstone, argillaceous sandstone, and siltstone are well developed; in contrast, the proportions of micropores ( <10 nm) and transition pores (10-100 nm) in coarse sandstone, fine sandstone, and sandy mudstone are quite high. The heterogeneity of pores in uranium deposits of different lithologies is strong and influences the mineral composition and its fabric mode. Coarse sandstone, fine sandstone, and sandy mudstone are favorable for ISL mining in Qianjiadian uranium deposits because their permeability is above the required permeability threshold of ISL. The uranium deposits with permeability below the threshold are recommended to adopt the blasting-enhanced permeability method to improve their permeability for achieving large-scale and high-efficiency ISL mining. This study can provide guidance for the selection of favorable ore beds for ISL mining and reservoir stimulation methods in low-permeability sandstone-type uranium deposits.

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Purification of in situ leaching solution for uranium mining by removing solids from suspension

Cited by 6 publications

References 3 publications

Long-Term in Situ Oxidation of Biogenic Uraninite in an Alluvial Aquifer: Impact of Dissolved Oxygen and Calcium

Long-Term in Situ Oxidation of Biogenic Uraninite in an Alluvial Aquifer: Impact of Dissolved Oxygen and Calcium

Potential aquifer vulnerability in regions down-gradient from uranium in situ recovery (ISR) sites

Mineral Composition and Full-Scale Pore Structure of Qianjiadian Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposits: Application for In Situ Leaching Mining

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