One-step method for electrokinetic uranium extraction and separation from sandstone-type uranium deposit

A one-step method for electrokinetic uranium extraction and separation from a sandstone-type uranium deposit, the method comprising:

• uranium activation:
• using an activating leaching agent to adjust a pH of an activation environment as pH≤3, converting uranium elements in the sandstone-type uranium deposit into positively charged uranyl and its complexes;
• wherein the activating leaching agent is a mixture of FeCl3 and a chlorine-containing inorganic acid;
• a solid-liquid ratio of the sandstone-type uranium deposit to the activating leaching agent is 1 kg:
• 1-10 L, and a concentration of FeCl3 in the activating leaching agent is 10 g/L to 20 g/L;
• electric field drive:
• introducing an activated sandstone-type uranium deposit into a direct current (DC) electric field, applying a DC electric field with a voltage gradient of 0.1 V/cm to 0.5 V/cm between a cathode and an anode, and allowing the uranium elements to move toward a cathode chamber (4) under an action of the electric field and thus to be directionally enriched in the cathode chamber (4);
• electrode selective reduction and fixation of uranium:
• both the cathode and the anode being conductive plastic electrodes, allowing selective reduction of the positively charged uranium elements on a surface of the cathode conductive plastic electrode (2) by electrochemically reducing them to a low-valent insoluble uranium-containing substance and precipitating it on the surface of the cathode conductive plastic electrode (2), such that the uranium-containing precipitate is collected on the surface of the cathode conductive plastic electrode (2).