Topical Report On Chemical Process To Recover Uranium From Phosphate Rock

This topical report describes progress made in chemical dissolution and recovery of uranium from phosphate rock. It covers approximately the period from November 15, 1947, to January 15, 1948, but the figures and other data are in part based on investigations since the start of this project. Two outstanding developments are: (1) an increase in the dissolution of uranium from the rock with sulphuric acid from about 55 percent to about 85 percent and (2) an increase in recovery of uranium from solution from about 50 percent to 90 to 95 percent. The increase in dissolution was obtained by calcining the rock prior to leaching. The better recovery resulted from use of larger amounts of amine in the precipitation. The indicated over-all recovery, not yet fully worked out on solutions from calcined rock, is about 80 percent.