Acid ISL of Uranium in Czech Republic

This paper describes the history and development of acid in situ leaching (ISL) technology for exploitation of uranium ores on Bohemian Cretaceous Basin in the Czech Republic. The geological and hydrogeological conditions are briefly described and evaluated. The uranium production started in 1969 and the production was suspended in 1995. The development of the ISL technology and it becoming state-of-the-art is discussed. In addition, the paper focuses on various aspects of the well completion, layout of the wells in the field, composition of the leaching agent, processing of the solution, consumption of chemicals, production of uranium, recovery and effectiveness of the leaching process. The environmental impacts of the mining and remediation are outlined and discussed. The necessity of simultaneous application of mining and remediation technologies is the most valuable lesson learned and the most important recommendation for any future application of acid ISL under comparable conditions. (author)