Solution to the Emulsion Formation Problem Stable during the Extraction Process by Uranium Solvents with Tertiary Amines

Abstract

In the year 2006, as a part of the national nuclear programme which was re-initiated by the National Government, the reactivation of the local production of uranium concentrates (yellow cake) from argentine uranium ores was decided.
The process of production of uranium concentrates consists of a series of unit operations: size reduction, solid-liquid extraction or leaching, solid-liquid separation, liquid-liquid extraction and stripping and precipitation. This paper focuses in the liquid-liquid extraction between two immiscible phases for the purification of uranium present in the acid leached liquor, process known as solvent extraction with tertiary amines.
The present work studies different methods to avoid formation of stable emulsions, problem noticed during the application of the so-called Consecutive Simple Batch Contact (CSBC) methodology. As a first step the operations of filtration and clarification were studied in order to reduce content of solids in the suspension, but this was not enough to avoid formation of emulsions.
Finally the problem was solved analyzing the type of emulsion formed during the contact of the phases.
It was observed that operating with continuous organic phase during mixing, the formation of stable emulsions is avoided in simultaneous with a higher yield of recovery of uranium