Extraction of uranium and rare earths from mineralized ferruginous sandstone, southwestern Sinai

Abstract

Abstract A technological sample assaying 943 ppm U and about 0.97 % RE2O3 in a mineralized ferruginous sandstone has been collected from Wadi Sedri area of southwestern Sinai. The XRD analysis has releaved the presence of uranium minerals namely; coffinite and sodium meta-autonite but the rare earths adsorbed on the clay minerals inter the ore sample. Leaching of uranium and rare earths from the studied sample is based on ferric sulfate salt. The relevant conditions e.g. (6 g/L ferric sulfate concentration, 1/5 S/L ratio, time 8 h, T = 80 °C and 7.5 g/L H2SO4 concentration) of the ferric ion leaching for uranium and rare earths have been optimized. From the obtained leach liquor, the rare earths are precipitated as oxalates. This is followed by uranium recovery using anion exchange resin as impregnated Lewatite Monoplus M 500/Alamine 304. Therefore, highly pure products of uranium and rare earths have been obtained and chemically analyzed.