A study about the possible mining and benefit of the uranium ores of the ''Las Margaritas'' deposit, in Sierra de Pena Blanca, municipality of Villa Aldama, State of Chihuahua, Mexico

Considering all the characteristics of the deposit as well as its location in relation to the others, the necessary personnel, the extraction yield the structural conditions, etc. we can say that an advisable method of exploitation is the open pit method because in that way we can resolve a great number of problems, principally the high radiation to which the personnel would be exposed in a subterraneous work. The deposit reserves are 1,221,868 tons of ore with an average of 880 grams of U3O8 per ton. During the exploitation at open pit 1,147,025 tons will be extracted and through subterraneous work other 50,406 tons will be recuperated. The exploitation will cost $84.00 Mexican currency per ton. According to the experimental studies about the mineral which will be treated it has been concluded that the conventional acid leaching is the appropriate treatment to be followed since the recoveries were of 88 to 95%. However, it is suggested to make more studies about the metallurgical aspect and industrial engineering studies in order to lower costs, since these are theoretical and can be improved in the practice. (author)