Process for metals leaching and recovery from radioactive wastes

A process for recovering metals from cemented radioactive waste comprising the metals, wherein the metals comprise uranium, cesium, mercury, thorium, rare earth or combination thereof;

• the process comprising:
• a) an attrition step comprising mixing the cemented radioactive waste with water to solubilize at least a portion of the metals present in the waste providing an aqueous mixture;
• and separating the aqueous mixture to provide a metal-rich liquid, a metal-depleted waste and a metal-rich sludge;
• b) a leaching step comprising contacting the metal-rich sludge from step a) with an aqueous inorganic acid at a concentration between about 0.1 M and about 2 M, and a leaching salt, at a temperature lower than about 100° C., to solubilize at least a portion of the metals present in the cemented radioactive waste, thereby producing a mixture of a metal-rich leachate and a metal-poor waste;
• and separating the metal-rich leachate and metal-poor waste;
• c) a washing step comprising contacting the metal-poor waste from step b) with an aqueous solution, at a temperature lower than about 100° C., solubilize a substantial amount of the metals to produce a metal-rich solution and metal-poor waste, and separating the metal-rich solution and metal-poor waste;
• d) a combination step comprising combining the metal-rich liquid of step a), the metal-rich leachate of step b) and the metal-rich solution of step c) to provide a metal-rich combined solution;
• e) a recovery step comprising contacting the metal-rich combined solution with an ion exchange resin favoring the metals extraction;
• or contacting the metal-rich combined solution with a coagulant at a pH favoring precipitation of the metals.