Uranium recovery from low-level aqueous sources. [76 references

Abstract

The aqueous sources of soluble uranium were surveyed and evaluated in terms of the uranium geochemical cycle in an effort to identify potential unexploited resources. Freshwater sources appeared to be too low in uranium content to merit consideration, while seawater, although very dilute (approx. 3.3 ppB), contains approx. 4 x 10/sup 9/ metric tons of uranium in all the world's oceans. A literature review of recent publications and patents concerning uranium recovery from seawater was conducted. Considerable experimental work is currently under way in Japan; less is being done in the European countries. An assessment of the current state of technology is presented in this report. Repeated screening programs have identified hydrous titanium oxide as the most promising candidate absorbent. However, some of its properties such as distribution coefficient, selectivity, loading, and possibly stability appear to render its use inadequate in a practical recovery system. Also, various assessments of the energy efficiency of pumped or tidal power schemes for contacting the sorbent and seawater are in major disagreement. Needed future research and development tasks are discussed. A fundamental sorbent development program to greatly improve sorbent properties would be required to permit practical recovery of uranium from seawater. Major unresolved engineering aspects of such recovery systems are also identified and discussed.