US3880980A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recovery of uranium from HCl digested phosphate rock solution
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1972-11-30
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Granted: 1975-04-29
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Expires: 1992-11-30
Abstract
Abstract Uranium is recovered from a solution containing phosphoric acid, uranium in the hexavalent state and a chloride salt from the group consisting of alkali metal chloride, alkaline earth metal chloride, ammonium chloride and mixtures thereof, such as a solution obtained by hydrochloride acid digestion of phosphate rock. The phosphoric acid is extracted from the solution before the uranium is recovered from the remaining constituents thereof. Extraction degradation and emulsification of the organic layer previously employed in organic solvent extraction methods are eliminated, and the uranium is recovered at low cost and in a highly efficient manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Christian A Wamser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:23
CPC Classifications
C; C22; C22B; C22B60/00; C22B60/02; C22B60/0204; C22B60/0217; C22B60/0252; C22B60/0265; C01; C01B; C01B25/00; C01B25/16; C01B25/18; C01B25/234; C01G; C01G43/00; C01G43/01; C01G43/04; C01G43/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING URANIUM FROM A SOLUTION CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC ACID, URANIUM IN THE HEXAVALENT STATE AND A CHLORIDE SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI METAL CHLORIDE, ALKALINE EARTH METAL CHLORIDE AND AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. CONTACTING THE SOLUTION WITH A REDUCTANT CAPABLE OF CONVERTING SAID URANIUM FROM THE HEXAVALENT TO THE TETRAVALENT STATE; B. CONTACTING SAID REDUCED SOLUTION WITH AN ORGANIC EXTRACTANT CAPABLE OF SEPARATING SAID PHOSPHORIC ACID FROM THE REDUCED SOLUTION AND LEAVING SAID TETRAVALENT URANIUM IN SAID REDUCED SOLUTION; AND C. RECOVERING SAID TREAVALENT URANIUM FROM SAID REDUCED SOLUTION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING URANIUM FROM A SOLUTION CONTAINING PHOSPHORIC ACID, URANIUM IN THE HEXAVALENT STATE AND A CHLORIDE SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKALI METAL CHLORIDE, ALKALINE EARTH METAL CHLORIDE AND AMMONIUM CHLORIDE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. CONTACTING THE SOLUTION WITH A REDUCTANT CAPABLE OF CONVERTING SAID URANIUM FROM THE HEXAVALENT TO THE TETRAVALENT STATE; B. CONTACTING SAID REDUCED SOLUTION WITH AN ORGANIC EXTRACTANT CAPABLE OF SEPARATING SAID PHOSPHORIC ACID FROM THE REDUCED SOLUTION AND LEAVING SAID TETRAVALENT URANIUM IN SAID REDUCED SOLUTION; AND C. RECOVERING SAID TREAVALENT URANIUM FROM SAID REDUCED SOLUTION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as recited in claim 1 wherein said solution is obtained by hydrochloric acid digestion of phosphate rock.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process as recited in claim 1 wherein said uranium is recovered from said remaining constituents of said solution by: a. contacting said remaining constituents with an oxidant capable of converting said uranium from the tetravalent to the hexavalent state; b. contacting the oxidized solution with an anion exchange resin capable of adsorbing said uranium; c. removing said uranium from said anion exchange resin by means of a solvent; and d. recovering said uranium from the resulting solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as recited in claim 1 wherein said reductant is selected from the group consisting of elementary iron, elementary aluminum, hydrogen sulfide, sodium hydrosulfite and formaldehydesodium hydrosulfoxylate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as recited in claim 1 wherein the reduction step is carrieD out at a temperature ranging from about 10*C. to the boiling point of said solution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process as recited in claim 1 wherein the extractant is selected from the group consisting of butanols, pentanols, trialkylphosphates having alkyl groups containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, N,N-disubstituted amides derived from monocarboxylic acids having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof with each other and with hydrocarbons.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as recited in claim 3 wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of trivalent iron salts, sodium chlorate, sodium hypochlorite, sodium chlorite and elementary chlorine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as recited in claim 3 wherein the oxidation step is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 10*C. to the boiling point of the solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said oxidized solution is a 3 to 10 molar chloride ion solution.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said uranium is recovered from the solution of step d by: a. neutralizing said solution; b. contacting said solution with a sufficient quantity of ammonia to precipitate a hexavalent uranium-containing compound therefrom; and c. washing and calcining said compound to produce uranium trioxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process as recited in claim 3 wherein said uranium is recovered from the solution of step d by: a. evaporating said solution so as to bring the uranium concentration thereof to at least about 1 percent by weight of the solution; b. contacting said solution with a sufficient amount of a reductant to reduce the uranium therein from the hexavalent to the tetravalent state; c. contacting the reduced solution with a sufficient amount of hydrogen fluoride and ammonium fluoride to precipitate the uranium from said solution in the form of crystalline ammonium uranous pentafluoride; and d. separating, washing and calcining the precipitate to form uranium tetrafluoride.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-28 | 1978-10-28 | 1979-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-28 | 1982-10-28 | 1983-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-28 | 1986-10-28 | 1987-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |