Process for solubilizing uranium values

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SOLUBILIZING URANIUM VALUES COMPRISING INTIMATELY CONTACTING SOLID URANIUM-BEARING MATERIAL WITH AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID CONTAINING DISSOLVED IRON VALUES PRESENT IN SOLUTION AS FERRIC ION, AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE URANIUM VALUES BEING SOLUBILIZED AND FERRIC ION BEING REDUCED TO FERROUS ION WHILE CONTACTING THE URANIUM-BEARING MATERIAL WITH THE AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID TO THEREBY PRODUCE AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING DISSOLVED URANIUM VALUES AND FERROUS ION, CONTACTING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING THE DISSOLVED URANIUM VALUES AND FERROUS ION WITH AN EFFECTIVE QUANTITY OF LIVE NONSPORE FORMING, ROD-SHAPED, MOTILE, AUTOTROPHIC OXIDIZING BACTERIA TO OXIDIZE FERROUS ION TO FERRIC ION AND PRODUCE AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING DISSOLVED URANIUM VALUES AND FERRIC ION, THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION HAVING A PH VALUE OF ABOUT 0.8 TO 3.0 AND A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 0*C. TO 50*C. WHEN CONTACTED WITH THE BACTERIA, THE BACTERIA BEING TOLERANT TO THE SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING THE DISSOLVED URANIUM VALUES AND FERROUS ION WHEN CONTACTED THEREWITH AND CAPABLE OF OXIDIZING THE FERROUS ION TO FERRIC ION, ADDING SULFURIC ACID TO THE SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF DISSOLVED URANIUM VALUES AND FERRIC ION TO LOWER THE PH VALUE AND PRODUCE AN AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID SOLUTION CONTAINING DISSOLVED FERRIC ION PRODUCED BY THE BACTERIAL OXIDATION OF THE FERROUS ION, AND CONTACTING SOLUTION URANIUM-BEARING MATERIAL WITH THE SAID AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID SOLUTION HAVING PRESENT THEREIN DISSOLVED FERRIC ION PRODUCED BY THE BACTERIAL OXIDATION OF THE FERROUS ION TO THEREBY SOLUBILIZE ADDITIONAL URANIUM VALUES.