Extraction of uranium by acid leaching from albitite rock of Rohil area, Rajasthan, India

Leaching studies were carried out on samples from Rohil-Ghateshwar area of Khetri Fold belt of Rajasthan, India, analysing 0.04 to 0.1% U3O8. Present paper describes the investigations on leaching of the ore as such and, physical beneficiation studies to preconcentrate uranium values. The effect of various experimental parameters such as mesh of grind, temperature, contact time, pH (acid concentration) was studied to maximize uranium dissolution. The maximum recovery of U3O8 values obtained by direct leaching of ore was 98%. Physical beneficiation techniques using gravity tables, flotation and magnetic separation were attempted to preconcentrate the valuables in small weight. Amongst, the techniques investigated the combination of gravity and magnetic separation yielded a preconcentrate containing 90% uranium values in 36% weight. (author)