Amenability of heap leaching technology on uranium extraction from Gattar and El Missikat area, Eastern Desert, Egypt: A kinetic approach

K F Mahmoud; F A El-Sayed; M S Nagar; W M Morsy; A S Mady; A M Mohamed

K F Mahmoud Faculty Of Science, Menoufia University, Chemistry Dep. , Egypt
F A El-Sayed Faculty Of Science, Menoufia University, Chemistry Dep. , Egypt
M S Nagar Nuclear Materials Authority, PO Box 530, El-Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
W M Morsy Faculty Of Science, Menoufia University, Chemistry Dep. , Egypt
A S Mady Faculty Of Science, Menoufia University, Chemistry Dep. , Egypt
A M Mohamed Faculty Of Science, Menoufia University, Chemistry Dep. , Egypt

Keywords: El-Missikat; Gattar; heap leaching;column test; kinetic reaction models

Abstract

Studies of uranium heap leaching from different uranium mineralization situated in Eastern Desert of Egypt was investigated via batch experiments, followed by its optimum condition applicationon column percolationtests.The optimum process operating parameters were implemented on large column scale in order to make more condition control and evaluate the time and reagents needed in the large scale. The results show thatleaching efficiency of GIIattained about 78.3% with 34kg/ton acid consumption in a 44 days period, while leaching efficiency of El-Missikat attained about 86.6% with 28kg/ton acid consumption in a 40 days period.Kinetics reaction models of column tests have been investigated to optimize the column leaching behavior. Based on the leaching results of two mineralized samples, the rate of the uranium metal dissolution is controlled by the chemical reaction and the diffusion reaction but diffusion reaction control was more predominate than a chemical reaction control.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1-Lupo, John F. "Liner system design for heap leach pads. Geotextiles and Geomembranes"28(12): 163-173(2009).
2- Bouffard, Sylvie C., and David G. Dixon. "Investigative study into the hydrodynamics of heap leaching processes." Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B 32.5,763-776 (2001)
3-Dexin Ding,Yulong Liu, Nan yihu." Two Stage Column Leaching of Uranium from Uraninite Ore" Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience 5(1):96-100 (2012)
4- Mahmoud, K.F. "Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of some uranium occurrences in GabalGattar area as basis for preparation of high –grade uranium concentrate" Ph.D. Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt,(2000)
5-Amer .T.E, Ibrahim.T.M.andOmar.S.A. "Micro-probe studies and some rare metals recovery from El Missikat mineralized shear zone. Eastern Desert, Egypt", vol.(2)p-p 225-238 Assiut-Egypt (2005)
6-Attawiya , M. Y ."Geochemistry and genesis of the uranium mineralization of G. El-Missikat, Egypt". Ann. Geol. Surv .Egypt , 13 , 67 – 74 ( 1984 ) .
7- Ibrahim T.M. "Geologic and radioactive studies of the basement-sedimentary contact in the area west Gabal El Missikat, Eastern Desert, Egypt". PhD. thesis, Mansoura University, El Mansoura, Egypt.214p (2002).
8- Mahdy, M. A., Salman, A. B. and Mohamed, A. H. "Leaching studies on the uraniferousHammamat sediments, wadiBelih, northern eastern desert, Egypt", 14th CMMI Cong., Edinburgh, P. 229-235(1990).
9-Dabbour, G. A. "Minerals laleutifization in a uranium occurrence in G. Gattar" Int. Rep., NMA, Cairo, Egypt (1989).
10- Kamal, H.M. Study on the distribution and recovery of uranium/molybdenum from their minerals from gable gattar area, eastern desert, Egypt: M.Sc. Thesis, Fac. of Science, CairoUniv(1995).
11-Mahmoud, K. F., Chen, Xiangbiao., Ibrahim, M. S., Li, Jianhua., Mahfouz, M.G., Li, Wicai., and Nagar, M. S., Final report on Gattar experimental yellow cake production unit, Chinese & Egyptian Experts., . Scientific Internal Report, Nuclear Materials Authority (NMA), Cairo, Egypt.(2001)
12- Mohamed, N. A., Distribution and extraction of uranium and some trace elements from the mineralized El Missikat – El Erediya areas, Eastern Desert, Egypt‖. Ph.D. Thesis, Cairo Univer. (1995).
13-Mousa, M. A., Daher, A. M., Omar, S. A., Khawassek, Y. M., Haggag, S. A., and Gawad, E. A.,(2014): ‖Kinetics of leaching process of uranium from El-Missikat shear zone Eastern Desert, Egypt‖ Journal of basic and environmental Sciences 1,65-75(2014).
14- Amin, A. E., Kamal, H.M., Ghazala, R. A., and Awad, L.S.,:‖Recovery of Uranium from the Mineralized Shear Zone of Jabal El Missikat, Eastern Desert, Egypt‖ Quest Journals Journal of Research in Environmental and Earth Science, Volume 3~Issue 5 ,pp: 08-19(2017).
15- Nagar MS, Kamal HM, El monsif AM, Ghazala RA "Potential uranium recovery by percolation leaching from El Missikat mineralized silica vein, Eastern Desert, Egypt". Acad. J. Environ. Sci. 8(5): 071-080(2020).
16-Mohamed F. Raslan "Occurrence of Uraniferous Iron Grains at GabalGattar, El Missikat and El-Erediya Granites in Eastern Desert of Egypt" Resource Geology,Vol. 59, No. 1: 99 – 105( 2009).
17-Abu Dief , A . "The relation between the uranium mineralization and tectonics in some Pan-African granite, west of Safaga , Eastern Desert, Egypt" (PhD Thesis) . Assuit University, Egypt(1993).
18-Marczenko, Z., Spectrophotometric determination of elements. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc; (1976).
19- Davies, W., and Gray, W., "A rapid and specific titrimetric method for the precise determination of uranium using iron (II) sulphate as reductant; Talanta, 11, 1203-1211(1964):.
20-RITCEY,G.M., HAQUE,K.E., LUCAS,B.H., SKEAFF, J.M., Uranium Ore Processing, US Patent 4,374,096,US Gov t Printing Office, Washington DC(1983)
21.RITCEY,G.M.,ASHBROOK,A.W.,Solvent Extraction: Principles and Applications to Process Metallurgy,Vols1and2,Elsevier,AmsterdamandNewYork (1982)
22-RITCEY,G.M.,Tailings Management - ProblemsandSolutionsinthe Mining Industry,Elsevier,AmsterdamandNewYork,970pp(1989).
23-Sommar,G.,Omrod,G.T.W.,Chaix,R.P., Recent developments in the Instrumentation and automation of uranium processing plants ,J.S.Afr .Inst. Min. Metall.74,413-420(1973).
24-V. Madakkaruppan, Anitha Pius, T. Sreenivas, T.S. Sunilkumar "Behaviour of Si, Al, Fe and Mg during oxidative sulfuric acid leaching of low grade uranium ore: A kinetic approach"Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 7 ,103139(2019)
25-E Kusrini, Y Nurani and ZJ Bahari "Extraction of rare earth elements from low-grade Bauxite via precipitation reaction" IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 334. (2018).
26-Bernard.Sililo "Modeling uranium leaching kinetics"Dept. Material science and Metallurgical engineering, Fac. of engineering, built environment and information technology, Univ. Pretoria (Msc)(2016)
27- Ekinci Z, Colak S, Cakici A, Sarac H. "Leaching kinetics of sphalerite with pyrite in chlorine saturated water". Miner. Eng.11, 279 –283(1998).