URANIUM CONCENTRATE PREPARATION METHOD Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC B01D61/44 C01G43/00 

FIELD: heavy metal hydrometallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: method of preparing uranium concentrate from desorbate formed during desorption of uranium from uranium-loaded anionite with acidified ammonium salt solutions comprises treatment of desorbate with alkali precipitator and separation of uranium concentrate precipitate from precipitation mother solution. Alkali precipitator is ammonia-salt solution having concentration 2 to 30 g/L, which is obtained by electrochemical decomposition of precipitation mother solution in cathode cells of membrane electrolyser with alternate anion-exchange and bipolar membranes. Precipitation mother solution is added to cathode and anode cells of electrolyser at their volume ratio found from expression G/C wherein G is mass of ammonia consumed to separate uranium concentrate from 1 L desorbate and C molar concentration of ammonia in resulting ammonia-salt solution (g/L).

EFFECT: avoided use of sulfuric acid and ammonia, prevented accumulation of unbalance nitrate salt solutions further released into drainage network, and excluded loss of nitrate salts with unbalance solutions.

1 dwg