Abstract Scope |
The rise in human population has led Nigerians to source for a lasting solution to the tremendous demands for electricity with sustainability concerns including greenhouse gas emissions limitation. Consequently, uranium ore processing in solving the scenario above for industrial value addition becomes paramount. Thus, the treatment of an indigenous boltwoodite ore containing admixtures of albite (Na2.00Al2.00Si6.00O16.00), boltwoodite (Na2.00K2.77U3.00Si6.00O9.00H4.00), thorite (Th4.00Si4.00O16.00), and quartz (Si6.00O6.00) was investigated in alkaline media. The effects of sodium hydroxide concentration, reaction temperature, and retention time on the extent of ore dissolution were investigated. At optimal conditions (2.5 mol/L NaOH, 75 °C, 75 µm), the ore dissolution yielded 96.1% within 120 minutes at 300 rpm. The dissolution kinetics and thermodynamic tests for the leaching process were diffusion-controlled, exothermic, and spontaneous. Further, the purified leach solution obtained was beneficiated to an industrial-grade sodium diuranate recommended as an intermediate for nuclear fuel cycle application. |