Effect of substituent on the Performance of Cupferron as a Collector for Uranium

Abstract

AbstractCupferron derivatives were synthesized and wed as collectors for uranium in the bench‐scale flotation of a uranium ore from Cluff Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada. All the derivatives were found to be more effective than cupferron itself. For alkyl‐substituted cupferrons, uranium recovery increased with an increase in alkyl chain length, with p‐nonylcupferron having a uranium recovery of 82% in 25% floated mass. Among the halogen‐substituted cupferrons, para‐substituted compounds performed better than meta‐substituted compounds. Although uranium recovery was only 50%, in the case of p‐methoxycupferron, the mass floated was as low as 8% of the feed. Separation efficiencies were correlated with Hammett sigma values.