In-situ leaching of molybdenum and uranium by percarbonate and chloride-hypochlorite solutions

Abstract

In-situ leaching of molybdenum and uranium is becoming an increasingly common process. The features of the material composition of ores, leading to a decrease in their filtration properties, were considered. Activation leaching with leaching solutions that have undergone electrophotochemical activation before contact with the ore mass were studied. Activation preparation of leaching solutions promotes the synthesis of clustered water molecules with collectivized protons and hydroxyl ions, as well as active forms of oxygen and hydrogen. Cell leaching of molybdenum from mature tailings of the Shakhtaminsk deposit was studied experimentally. After pre-oxidation with an active carbonate solution, a model borehole leaching was carried out with a chloride-hypochlorite solution. Molybdenum extraction on resin a was 85 % in 30 days. Experiments on the percolation leaching of uranium from the ores of the Uchkuduk and Sugraly deposits confirmed the potential possibility of a significant increase in the extraction of uranium by electrophotoactivated percarbonate solutions relative to aqueous solutions of sodium and ammonium carbonate. When leaching with carbonate solutions without an additional oxidizing agent, the extraction of uranium from the Sugraly deposit ore sample was 52 and 59 % (sodium carbonate and ammonium carbonate). The use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent made it possible to achieve 87-88 % extraction into pregnant solutions in 21 days without pre-oxidation. The performed studies confirm the processing capability of extracting uranium and molybdenum by percolation leaching in columns and borehole leaching.