Journal article
Stimulation of in situ uranium leaching from low permeable ore in treatment by different physical methods
Исследования интенсификации процесса скважинного подземного выщелачивания урана из слабопроницаемых руд при воздействии на них различными физическими методами
- Navoi State University of Mining and Technologies, Navoi, Uzbekistan
- Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia
https://doi.org/10.25018/0236_1493_2023_2_0_111
Highlights
- Alternating current of 0.1–0.01 mA/cm²: permeability factor up 1.2 times (laboratory).
- Field tests: output of the wells about 5 times higher on average.
- Magnetised acid solutions: faster settling of gypsum and mechanical impurities.
Keywords
- in situ leaching
- low permeable uranium ore
- rock permeability
- electric current
- electro-osmosis
- electromagnetic field
Summary
Most uranium resources mined by in-situ leaching are low-grade hydrogenic deposits in sandy and clayey sediments of low permeability in crustal depressions. Such ore can be mined mainly by raising the permeability of the ore bodies for the leaching solutions. The study tested three physical methods at low-permeability uranium deposits of Navoiyuran: passing an alternating current through the ore, magnetic treatment of the acid solutions and ultrasonic vibration.
In the laboratory, an alternating current of 0.1–0.01 mA/cm² raised the permeability factor 1.2 times and raised metal recovery; field tests confirmed this, with the output of the wells about 5 times higher on average. Magnetic treatment made gypsum and mechanical impurities settle out of the acid solutions faster, which may help to clean process solutions. Ultrasonic vibration raised both the leaching rate and the metal concentration in the solutions in laboratory tests.
How to cite
Sh. Sh. Alikulov, R. R. Ibragimov and R. A. Khamidov (2023). Stimulation of in situ uranium leaching from low permeable ore in treatment by different physical methods. Gornyi informatsionno-analiticheskii byulleten (Mining Informational and Analytical Bulletin), 2023, No. 2, pp. 111–126. https://doi.org/10.25018/0236_1493_2023_2_0_111