INVESTIGATIONOF CONCENTRATION METHOD OF SCANDIUM-CONTAINING SOLUTIONS

Аннотация

In current times, enterprises in Kazakhstan that extract uranium by in-situ leaching (ISL) method do
not simultaneously recover valuable components. Cardinal problems in this area are the issues of reserves estimation
and the availability of effective technology that allows for cost-effective operations. The peculiarities of processing
solutions of ISL uranium should also include extremely low contents of valuable components and a complex
chemical composition. To solve some of these problems, the authors are working on the development and
optimization of technological solutions.
This article presents studies results of further concentration and purification of scandium strippants of the first
operations of scandium sorption from uranium sorption filtrates of the ISL cycle. Concentration effect of sodium
carbonate on the kinetics and desorption efficiency of scandium from the resin was studied using the example of SEDEHPA resin under static conditions. Solution's pH influence on second stage operation of sorption on SE-DEHPA
resin under static conditions is recognized, and the possibility of subsequent carbonate desorption of scandium was
investigated.
As a result of the laboratory studies, a basic technological scheme of scandium associated extraction was
developed within the framework of the ISL uranium cycle and the main technological parameters and modes were
determined that formed the basis of the basic technical and economic assessment.