Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Processes for the recovery of uranium from industrial phosphoric acid using dual or single cycle continuous ion exchange approaches
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Application No.: US14416271Application Date: 2013-07-21
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Publication No.: US09702026B2Publication Date: 2017-07-11
- Inventor: William W Berry , Thomas E. Baroody , Driss Dhiba , Mounir El Mahdi
- Applicant: K-TECHNOLOGIES, INC. , OCP S.A.
- Applicant Address: US FL Lakeland MA Casablanca
- Assignee: K-Technologies, Inc.,OCP S.A.
- Current Assignee: K-Technologies, Inc.,OCP S.A.
- Current Assignee Address: US FL Lakeland MA Casablanca
- Agency: Lee & Hayes, pllc
- International Application: PCT/US2013/051417 WO 20130721
- International Announcement: WO2014/018422 WO 20140130
- Main IPC: C22B60/00
- IPC: C22B60/00 ; C22B60/02 ; C01B25/238 ; C01G43/01 ; C01G43/00 ; B01J45/00 ; B01J49/00 ; C22B3/42 ; C22B3/44 ; C22C28/00 ; B01J39/05 ; B01J49/06 ; B01J49/50 ; B01J49/53

Abstract:
In alternative embodiments, the invention provides processes and methods for the recovery, removal or extracting of, and subsequent purification of uranium from a wet-process phosphoric acid using a continuous ion exchange processing approach, where the uranium is recovered from a phosphoric acid, or a phos-acid feedstock using either a dual or a single stage extraction methodology. In both cases an intermediate ammonium uranyl-tricarbonate solution is formed. In alternative embodiments, in the dual cycle approach, this solution is contacted in a second continuous ion exchange system with a strong anion exchange resin then subsequently recovered as an acidic uranyl solution that is further treated to produce an intermediate uranyl peroxide compound which is ultimately calcined to produce the final uranium oxide product. In alternative embodiments, in the single cycle case, the intermediate ammonium uranyl-tricarbonate solution is evaporated to decompose the ammonium carbonate and produce an intermediate uranium carbonate/oxide solid material. These solids are digested in an acid medium, and then processed in the same manner as the secondary regeneration solution from the dual cycle process to produce an intermediate uranyl peroxide that is calcined to produce a final uranium oxide product.
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