Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Determination of Optimum Process Conditions for Sulfuric Acid Dissolution of Zarigan Thorium-Uranium Ore Using Taguchi Method

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

S A. Milani
B Rezai
A Emami
Abstract
This paper deals with the study of digestion and leaching process effectiveness in thorium minerals processing, and determining the optimum process conditions for acidic leaching of thorium- uranium ores in Zarigan region to dissolve thorium. To do this, some samples from Zarygan region were studied mineralogically in laboratory. The sample containing minerals such as Anorthite, Quartz, Sanidine, Vermiculite, Albite, Gypsum, Muscovite, Anatase and Magnetite were ground in specified dimensions and then mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid. Then the mixture was heated to a high temperature. After diluting the mixture with water, it was dissolved by means of agitation leaching.  The effects of different parameters such as particle size, temperature and time of digestion, concentration of sulfuric acid, and acid to ore ratio, with the aim of determining their optimum value, were studied which resulted in the following optimum values for the above-mentioned parameters: particle size  of  250 μm, temperature of 180 °C, time of 5h, concentration of  sulfuric acid of 10.8 mol/lit, and acid to ore ratio of 3. Under these conditions, maximum recovery of thorium was 92%. Nitric acid (oxidant) concentration effect on the recovery of thorium in the optimum conditions was studied, and for the 2M of nitric acid concentration, thorium recovery of 97% was obtained.

Highlights

  1. R. Meera, Synergistic solvent extraction of thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) with R-Diketones in presence of oxo-donors, Ph.D. thesis, India (2004) 1-5.

     

  2. International Atomic Energy Agency, Thorium fuel cycles: potential benefits and challenges, IAEA Report, Vienna (2005).

 

  1. S. Holden Charles, Thorium's Promise, Speech given before the american nuclear society eastern Washington Chapter, September 20 (2005).

 

  1. J.E. Crawford, Thorium mineral facts and problems, U.S dept., Bureau of Mines Bull. 556 (1956).

 

  1. F. Habashi, Handbook of extractive hydrometallurgy, Vol. III, New York (1997) 1650-1665.

 

  1. M. Abdel-Rehim Aly, An innovative method for processing Ejyptian monazite, Hydrometalurgy, 67 (2002) 9-17.

 

  1. A.E.M. Hussein, Successive uranium and thorium adsorption from Egyptian monazite by solvent impregnated foam, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 289 (2) (2011) 321-329.

 

  1. Exploration Geophysics Group (EGG), Evaluation of radioactive elements in Zrigan district, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Tehran (1379).

 

  1. F.L. Cathbert, Thorium production technology, National Lead Compony of Ohio, United State of Amearica (1958) 104-120.

 

  1.  D. Li, Y. Zuo, S. Meng, Separation of thorium (IV) and extracting rare earths from sulfuric and phosphoric acid solutions by solvent extraction method, J. Alloys and Compounds, 374 (2004) 431-433.

 

  1.  B. Gupta, P. Malik, A. Deep, Extraction of uranium, thorium and lanthanides using cyanex-923: Their separations and recovery from monazite, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 252 (2002) 451-456.

  2.  M. Eskandari Nasab, A. Sam, S.A. Milani, Determination of optimum process conditions for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements by solvent extraction, Hydrometallurgy, 106 (3–4) (2011) 141–147.

 

  1.  S.M. Wang, Taguchi’s method in optimizing the experimental conditions of simultaneous supercritical fluid extraction and chemical derivatization for the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of amphetamine and methamphetamine in aqueous matrix, J. Solution Chem., 29 (2000) 63-86.

 

  1.  K. Ranjit, Design of experiments using the Taguchi approach: 16 steps to product and process improvement, A Wiley–Interscience Publication, John Wiley & Sons Inc., U.S.A. (2001).

 

  1.  M. Akbari, Investigation of the factors affectingSaghand-anomaly 5 uranium ore digestion, Master degree thesis, Bahonar uni., Kerman  (2004) 69-84.

 

  1.  M. El-Hussaini, M. Omneya, Mohamed A. Mahdy,Sulfuric acid leaching of Kab Amiri niobium-tantalum bearing minerals, Central Eastern Desert, Egy, Hydrometallurgy, 64 (3) (2002) 219-229.

 

  1.  M. Gafari, M. Eskandari, Determination of optimum process of ball mill variables, Bachelor,s degree thesis, Bahonar Uni., Zarand Faculty (2008) 42-50.

 

  1.  R. Vijayalakshmi, S.L. Mishra, H. Singh, C.K. Gupta, Processing of xenotime concentrate by sulphuric acid digestion and selective thorium precipitation for separation of rare earths, India, Hydrometallurgy, 61 (2001) 75-80.

 

 M. Kiaie, Uranium and thorium processing investigation in Saghand-anomaly 5, Master degree thesis, Bahonar Uni. (2000) 45-70.

Keywords

Acid Digestion
Leaching
Thorium- Uranium Ore
Zarighan
Optimization
Taguchi Method

  1. R. Meera, Synergistic solvent extraction of thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) with R-Diketones in presence of oxo-donors, Ph.D. thesis, India (2004) 1-5.

     

  2. International Atomic Energy Agency, Thorium fuel cycles: potential benefits and challenges, IAEA Report, Vienna (2005).

 

  1. S. Holden Charles, Thorium's Promise, Speech given before the american nuclear society eastern Washington Chapter, September 20 (2005).

 

  1. J.E. Crawford, Thorium mineral facts and problems, U.S dept., Bureau of Mines Bull. 556 (1956).

 

  1. F. Habashi, Handbook of extractive hydrometallurgy, Vol. III, New York (1997) 1650-1665.

 

  1. M. Abdel-Rehim Aly, An innovative method for processing Ejyptian monazite, Hydrometalurgy, 67 (2002) 9-17.

 

  1. A.E.M. Hussein, Successive uranium and thorium adsorption from Egyptian monazite by solvent impregnated foam, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 289 (2) (2011) 321-329.

 

  1. Exploration Geophysics Group (EGG), Evaluation of radioactive elements in Zrigan district, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Tehran (1379).

 

  1. F.L. Cathbert, Thorium production technology, National Lead Compony of Ohio, United State of Amearica (1958) 104-120.

 

  1.  D. Li, Y. Zuo, S. Meng, Separation of thorium (IV) and extracting rare earths from sulfuric and phosphoric acid solutions by solvent extraction method, J. Alloys and Compounds, 374 (2004) 431-433.

 

  1.  B. Gupta, P. Malik, A. Deep, Extraction of uranium, thorium and lanthanides using cyanex-923: Their separations and recovery from monazite, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 252 (2002) 451-456.

  2.  M. Eskandari Nasab, A. Sam, S.A. Milani, Determination of optimum process conditions for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements by solvent extraction, Hydrometallurgy, 106 (3–4) (2011) 141–147.

 

  1.  S.M. Wang, Taguchi’s method in optimizing the experimental conditions of simultaneous supercritical fluid extraction and chemical derivatization for the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of amphetamine and methamphetamine in aqueous matrix, J. Solution Chem., 29 (2000) 63-86.

 

  1.  K. Ranjit, Design of experiments using the Taguchi approach: 16 steps to product and process improvement, A Wiley–Interscience Publication, John Wiley & Sons Inc., U.S.A. (2001).

 

  1.  M. Akbari, Investigation of the factors affectingSaghand-anomaly 5 uranium ore digestion, Master degree thesis, Bahonar uni., Kerman  (2004) 69-84.

 

  1.  M. El-Hussaini, M. Omneya, Mohamed A. Mahdy,Sulfuric acid leaching of Kab Amiri niobium-tantalum bearing minerals, Central Eastern Desert, Egy, Hydrometallurgy, 64 (3) (2002) 219-229.

 

  1.  M. Gafari, M. Eskandari, Determination of optimum process of ball mill variables, Bachelor,s degree thesis, Bahonar Uni., Zarand Faculty (2008) 42-50.

 

  1.  R. Vijayalakshmi, S.L. Mishra, H. Singh, C.K. Gupta, Processing of xenotime concentrate by sulphuric acid digestion and selective thorium precipitation for separation of rare earths, India, Hydrometallurgy, 61 (2001) 75-80.

 

 M. Kiaie, Uranium and thorium processing investigation in Saghand-anomaly 5, Master degree thesis, Bahonar Uni. (2000) 45-70.

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