Possible uranium recovery from some materials with ion uranium content

Investigations have shown that uranium may be obtained on site from some, especially loamy, materials with a low U(VI) content using the desorption-adsorption technology. Simple or repeated desorption in an alkaline medium will release from such materials up to 80% of contained uranium into the solution. The uranium may subsequently be concentrated by adsorption on ion exchange columns or on effective nascent sorbents. The said method was tested on samples from 4 localities with different U(VI) content. The dependence was ascertained of U desorption on pH and on the solution composition, as was the time dependence of desorption at pH 12 and a grain size of 18 mesh, and the desorption at grain size of up to 1 mesh and a varying solidus/liquidus ratio. Desorption took place most effectively at pH 10.5 to 12. Some samples did not have to be sorted and adjusted in advance to a given grain size. (B.S.)