Uranium Production as a Byproduct from Yarimca Phosphoric Acid Plant

This paper deals with uranium production from the phosphoric acid products of Yarimca Fertilizer Plant. After examination of the phosphate rocks consumed in this plant and the acid products, solvent extraction tests were conducted to determine the effects of acid concentration, solvent concentration in kerosene, contact time and acid-solvent ratio on the recoveries of uranium. Ninety-eight percent of total uranium in acid was recovered in the organic phase by applying 5 stage extraction. Following the extraction tests, acidic and basic stripping were applied to organic phase and uranium was precipitated as yellow cake from the stripping solutions. In the stripping tests mainly aqueous and organic phase ratio and the stripping time were investigated using HCI and Na2C03 as stripping agents. Na2C03 has provided higher uranium recoveries both at the short time and low ratio of the stripping solution. Yellow cakes were produced containing 13-18.4 percent U3O8 from acidic and 30-46.4 percent U3O8 from the basic stripping solutions.