Purification of in situ leaching solution for uranium mining by removing solids from suspension

• The process of in situ leaching mining solutions purification was investigated.
• In experiences bag filters were used.
• Results of experimental work showed high efficiency of bag filters.
• It is possible to support constant productivity and balance of technological cells.

This study investigated the process of in situ leaching (ISL) method of uranium mining, and the removal of solid particles from the leaching solution. Investigations were carried out for 4 months. The content of firm suspensions in the productive solutions arriving from the well field was up to standard of 3–5 mg/l. After keeping in a settler of productive solutions within one hour concentration of suspensions decreases to 2–2.5 mg/l. To increase the life of the wells requires more fine purification of the ISL solutions. The best results can be obtained but using filtration. Bag filters were used in experiments carried out at the extraction site. All samples of polypropylene bag filter was produced by the Tamfelt Corporation. The best results were obtained for fabrics S-51M03-L2K4 (pore size 3 μm). After three month of trials following indicators of wells work were fixed: on the trial cell decrease in intake capacity did not occur; on the other cells of well field injectability of holes for the same period of time decreased for 15–40%. The results illustrated the high efficiency of this method, which allows injection wells to reach a constant intake capacity, making it possible for technological cells to achieve a constant productivity and balance. Purification of solutions allows to reduce acidulation term of new technological cells from 3–4 to 1.5–2 months.