Report on the progress of work in Portugal [Processing of Low-Grade Uranium Ores]

The purpose of the principal studies until now in Portugal were the development of two types of treatment of the uranium minerals: - Traditional leaching by agitation of the ore milled in a finely sulphuric acid solution; - Leaching of the type 'heap leaching' in which the ore is hard crushed, and then sprinkles is crammed with sulphuric acid solution. Leaching tests were performed traditionally with samples of available Portuguese minerals. In most cases, the dissolution of uranium is easy and low consumption of acid. Efforts were oriented in the direction of a leaching type 'heap leaching'.