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Flotation of uranium from uranium ores in canada: Part I‐flotation results with elliot lake uranium ores using chelating agents as collectors
Author(s) -
Muthuswami S. V.,
Vijayan S.,
Woods D. R.,
Banerjee S.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450610516
Subject(s) - uranium , reagent , radium , uranium ore , pyrite , chemistry , radiochemistry , gangue , froth flotation , tailings , uranium oxide , distilled water , nuclear chemistry , metallurgy , mineralogy , materials science , chromatography
About 150 flotation tests were done on Elliot Lake ore with 15 reagents as collectors in order to screen and choose an attractive collector for uranium flotation. Several variables were studied including pH, conditioning time and mode of collector addition. The tests were done in a Denver or Agitair subacration cell. The particle size of the ore was kept at 85% below‐325 mesh. Three reagents (Kelex 100, TOPO, and cupferron) were identified as having the most promise. The best results were obtained with cupferron, where 93‐95% of the uranium was recovered in 25‐30% of the mass of original ore. Radium in the tails varied between 15 and 30 pCi/g depending on the mass of uranium floated. Radium was recovered in proportion to uranium in the tests done at neutral pH. The preconcentration results obtained by flotation alone were comparable to those obtained by Raicevic of CANMET using pyrite flotation and wet high intensity magnetic separation of uranium. The consumption of cupferron was 4 kg/Mg ore for each flotation stage. This was 10‐15 times larger than the collector usage in conventional oxide flotation. This scheme did not require other reagents as depressants, activators or modifiers. Reproducibility was good and similar recoveries were obtained with fresh or old ores, and with distilled or mine water. The selectivity of cupferron for uranium in the ore studied was outstanding.