Uranium Processing Research in Australia

Uranium processing research in Australia has included studies of flotation, magnetic separation, gravity separation, heavy medium separation, atmospheric leaching, multi-stage leaching, alkali leaching, solar heating of leach pulps, jigged-bed resin-in-pulp and solvent-in-pulp extraction. Brief details of the results obtained are given. In general, it can be said that gravity, magnetic and flotation methods are of limited usefulness in the treatment of Australian uranium ores. Alkali leaching seldom gives satisfactory recoveries and multi-stage leaching is expensive. Jigged-bed resin-in-pulp and packed tower solvent-in-pulp extraction systems both show promise, but plant-scale development work is required. Bacterial leaching may be useful in the case of certain lowgrade ores. The main difficulties to be overcome, either singly or in combination, in the case of Australian uranium ores not currently considered economically exploitable, are the extremely finely divided state of the uranium mineral, the refractory nature of the uranium mineral and adverse effects due to the gangue minerals present. With respect to known low-grade ores, it would be possible in only a few cases to achieve satisfactory recovery of uranium at reasonable cost by standard treatment methods. (author)