Removal of uranium contamination from magnesium fluoride slag
AssigneeUnited States Enrichment Corporation
InventorJohn H. Pashley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Magnesium fluoride slag contaminated with metallic uranium or uranium compounds is treated by digestion with potassium hydroxide to soluble potassium fluoride and insoluble magnesium hydroxide. The solid and liquid phases are then separated and the solids phase is dissolved in acid to form a solution of metal salts. The liquid phase is treated with lime to precipitate calcium fluoride and convert the potassium back to potassium hydroxide for recycle to the digestion reaction. The metal salts are separated to remove the uranium salt from the magnesium salt. The result is an efficient removal of uranium contamination from the magnesium, the recovery of magnesium in a manner that permits efficient reuse or safe disposal, and the production of calcium fluoride useful for a variety of purposes.
Claims16
A method for treating uranium-contaminated magnesium fluoride slag to achieve uranium-free magnesium values, said method comprising:
- (a) treating said uranium-contaminated magnesium fluoride slag with potassium hydroxide under conditions selected to produce a solids mixture comprising magnesium hydroxide and uranium-containing solids, and a liquid phase comprising dissolved potassium fluoride;
- (b) separating said solids mixture from said liquid phase and treating the liquid phase thus separated with a member selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide to precipitate calcium fluoride and to form a liquid solution of potassium hydroxide;
- (c) recycling potassium hydroxide from said liquid solution to step (a);
- and
- (d) dissolving said solids mixture produced in step (a) in an acid solution and selectively removing metallic salts other than magnesium salts from said acid solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.