Extraction of uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid
AssigneeUrtek, LLC
InventorsJames Andrew Davidson, Mark S. Chalmers, Bryn Llywelyn Jones, Paul Robert Kucera, Peter Douglas Macintosh, Jessica Mary Page, Marcus Worsley Richardson, Karin Helene Soldenhoff, Colin Wayrauch
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Abstract
A process for extracting uranium compounds from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA) includes lowering iron content of WPA to produce a lowered iron WPA, reducing valency of any remaining iron in the lowered iron WPA to produce a reduced iron valency WPA. Uranium compounds are extracted from the reduced iron valency WPA via a solvent extraction process.
Claims17
A process for extracting uranium compounds from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:
- lowering iron content of WPA by precipitating iron to produce a lowered iron WPA;
- reducing valency of any remaining iron in the lowered iron WPA to produce a reduced iron valency WPA;
- and
- extracting uranium compounds from the reduced iron valency WPA via a solvent extraction process.
A process for extracting uranium compounds from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:
- lowering iron content of WPA by precipitating iron to produce a uranium-containing lowered iron WPA;
- contacting the uranium-containing lowered iron WPA with an oxidant to form oxidized WPA;
- removing uranium from the oxidized WPA by blending the oxidized WPA with a first organic solvent to form uranium depleted WPA and a first pregnant organic phase containing uranium;
- forming a uranium concentrated WPA by stripping uranium from the first pregnant organic phase with reduced WPA;
- oxidizing the uranium concentrated WPA;
- making a second pregnant organic phase by blending the oxidized uranium concentrated WPA with a second organic solvent;
- and
- producing a uranyl solution from the second pregnant organic phase.
A process for extracting uranium compounds from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:
- lowering iron content of WPA by precipitating iron to produce a uranium-containing lowered iron WPA;
- contacting the uranium-containing lowered iron WPA with an oxidant to form oxidized WPA;
- removing uranium from the oxidized WPA by blending the oxidized WPA with a first organic solvent to form uranium depleted WPA and a first pregnant organic phase containing uranium;
- forming a uranium concentrated WPA by stripping uranium from the first pregnant organic phase with oxidized WPA;
- oxidizing the uranium concentrated WPA;
- making a second pregnant organic phase by blending the oxidized uranium concentrated WPA with a second organic solvent;
- and
- producing a uranyl solution from the second pregnant organic phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.