Optimization of technological processes at uranium ore mining and milling in Ukraine

Uranium industry of Ukraine is 60 years old. It partly satisfies needs of Ukrainian NPPs; however, the raw materials base of the uranium industry in Ukraine allows covering the requirements of the NPPs fully. The raw materials base has special features comparatively with other countries of the world. The industrial uranium resources of Ukraine are large-scale but the ores, as a whole, are related to low-grade ones by uranium content. The main industrial type of uranium deposits in Ukraine is metasomatite and the ores occur as hard rocks. Monometallic nature of the ores stipulates possibility of high-quality uranium concentrate output with very low content of detrimental impurities. Mining and processing technologies are different from the foreign ones. The Ukrainian government approved a number of programs aimed at increasing uranium production up to the level, which can satisfy the requirements of the nuclear power plants, modernization of technology (heap leaching, in situ leaching, in-place leaching) and also liquidation of negative environmental consequences of uranium mining and processing activities. (author)