Research into Uranium Characteristics and Content in a Pregnant Solution During Leaching with Oxygen Saturation

The aim of this study is to intensify the process of in situ leaching of uranium with saturation of the working solution with oxygen using a Venturi tube. One of the ways to increase the efficiency of underground leaching is to saturate the leaching solution with oxygen. However, this oxidizer has not found application due to the complexity and high cost of oxygen saturation in the solution. The results of the study showed that saturation of the leaching solution with oxygen using a Venturi tube leads to a decrease in the concentration of divalent iron and an increase in the concentration of trivalent iron. Thus, this leads to an increase in the average uranium content in the pregnant solution by 21.3% compared with the technology being used. The dependence of changes in the concentration of trivalent iron and the uranium content in the pregnant solution on the leaching time was obtained when the solution was saturated with oxygen. The application of the proposed technology of oxygen saturation in the solution will increase the uranium content in the pregnant solution and thereby shorten the time required to mine uranium reserves in the technological block. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-05-016 Full Text: PDF