Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of uranium in indigenous samples of Bangladesh

Uranium has been determined in a number of indigenous geological samples supplied by Nuclear Mineral Division of Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (INST), Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka. Selective extraction followed by spectrophotometric determination has been used for assessment of uranium in the sample matrix. Among the samples so far studied, only the Fultali sample from Sylhet showed substantial uranium content of 1036 ± 26 ppm. The leachability of some prospective samples by dilute sulfuric acid has also been studied. The results showed that uranium in the Fultali sample could be leached almost quantitatively by dilute sulfuric acid, whereas only one fifth of uranium is leachable from low content uranium samples. The analytical parameters involved in the present method of extraction and determination of uranium have been evaluated. (author). 16 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs