Characteristics and Kinetics of Uranium Leaching Process of Uraniferous Black Shale Deposits of North El-Fayum Depression, Western Desert, Egypt

H. A. Abu Khoziem, M. M.ELMaadawy

Nuclear Materials Authority, P.O. Box 530 El Maadi , Cairo, Egypt

Summery-The leaching process of uranium from North El-Fayum uranium ore material using hydrochloric acid solution has been studied. The effect of different parameters such as hydrochloric acid concentration, leaching time, liquid/solid mass ratio, temperature, mechanical stirring speed were investigated in order to optimize various process parameters for maximizing the recovery of uranium. The maximum leaching of uranium (92.5%) was achieved after 15 min. as leaching time using 5% hydrochloric acid and 3/1 liquid/solid mass ratio at room temperature with 400 rpm mechanical stirring speed. The leaching kinetics data is represented by shrinking core model with diffusion through a porous product layer. The calculated apparent activation energy for the uranium leaching reaction was found to be 14.46 kJ/mol.