Fractional factorial design for studying uranium carbonate leaching of Tahaggart's ore

• Alkaline leaching was successfully performed on the Tahhagart's ore.
• The fractional factorial design was used to study the effect of the factors.
• Temperature and time are having the most significant effects on uranium recovery.
• An empirical model was developed to predict the uranium recovery yield.

Uranium carbonate leaching was performed on normal-grade Algerian ore, using a 24 − 1 fractional design. Effects of four working parameters: temperature, time, particle size, and carbonate dosage, taken each one at two levels, on the uranium recovery efficiency, were assessed and optimized. Results revealed that uranium can be quantitatively leached from Tahaggart's ore at a temperature of 140 °C, time of 4 h, a particle size of < 300 μm, and a carbonate dosage of 0.08 g/gore. Furthermore, by employing a regression analysis, an empirical model was developed to predict the recovery yield in the studied range of conditions.