PURPOSE: To economically recover U by blowing water contg. dissolved air into a liquid contg. a metal hydroxide with U captured, or placing the liquid under reduced press. to allow the hydroxide to rise to the liquid surface and separate them without using any additive.
CONSTITUTION: To a sulfuric acid soln. contg. severalWseveral tens ppm of U is added a water sol. salt of Fe, Ti or Al in an amt. of 3W10 times (as metal) as much as the U content. The soln. is then adjusted to a larger pH value with a base such as NaOH, Ca(OH)2, CaCO3 or ammonia to precipitate the Fe, Ti or Al as its hydroxide. At this time, the U is captured by the hydroxide and coprecipitated. Next, the precipitates-contg. liquid is blown with pressurized water in which air has been dissolved under press., or it is placed under reduced press. to form fine bubbles. The precipitates with U captured are sticked to the bubbles, allowed to rise to the liquid surface, and recovered. The U is then separated from the precipitates and recovered.
FURUNORI TAKESHI
UCHIKOSHI TSUGUO
