Extraction of uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid

1. A process for extracting uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:

(a) separating uranium from WPA to produce a loaded uranium solution stream and a uranium depleted WPA stream;

(b) contacting the loaded uranium solution stream with an ion exchange resin;

(c) eluting uranium species bound to the ion exchange resin by contacting the resin with a solution comprising anions to produce a loaded uranium eluant stream; and

(d) treating the loaded uranium eluant stream to provide a uranium containing product.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the anions used to elute the uranium species in step (c) are selected from the group consisting of: chloride anions, sulphate anions, nitrate anions, and combinations thereof.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein step (a) is preceded by a valency reduction step comprising reducing the valency of ferric ions in the WPA.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the valency reduction step is preceded by an iron removal step.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein step (a) is preceded by:

decreasing the amount of dissolved iron species in the WPA relative to the amount of uranium species in the WPA to produce a lowered iron content WPA having uranium species therein; and

subjecting the lowered iron content WPA to a reduction step, wherein the valency of dissolved iron species remaining in the lowered iron content WPA is reduced.

6. A process for extracting uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:

(a) contacting uranium laden WPA with a first ion exchange resin to form uranium depleted WPA;

(b) separating the uranium depleted WPA from the first ion exchange resin;

(c) oxidizing uranium species on the first ion exchange resin by contacting the first ion exchange resin with an oxidant;

(d) contacting the first ion exchange resin, having the oxidized uranium species thereon with ammonia to remove impurities from the resin, the impurities being vanadium ions, organic species, or a combination thereof;

(e) separating the impurities from the first ion exchange resin;

(f) removing the oxidized uranium species from the first ion exchange resin by contacting the resin with ammonium carbonate to form a uranium enriched ammonium carbonate stream;

(g) contacting the uranium enriched ammonium carbonate stream with a second ion exchange resin to form uranium depleted ammonium carbonate;

(h) separating the uranium depleted ammonium carbonate from the second ion exchange resin; and

(i) eluting uranium species from the second ion exchange resin to form a uranyl solution.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the oxidant is selected from the group consisting of: air, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, WPA, and combinations thereof.

8. The process of claim 6 , wherein the elution in step (i) is carried out using a solution comprising anions selected from the group consisting of: chloride anions, sulphate anions, nitrate anions, and combinations thereof.

9. The process of claim 6 , wherein step (a) is preceded by a valency reduction step comprising reducing the valency of ferric ions in the WPA.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the valency reduction step is preceded by an iron removal step.

11. The process of claim 6 , wherein the uranyl solution is further treated to provide a uranium containing product.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the further treatment comprises a precipitation step.

13. The process of claim 6 , wherein step (a) is preceded by:

decreasing the amount of dissolved iron species in the WPA relative to the amount of uranium species in the WPA to produce a lowered iron content WPA having uranium species therein; and

subjecting the lowered iron content WPA to a reduction step, wherein the valency of dissolved iron species remaining in the lowered iron content WPA is reduced.

14. A process for extracting uranium from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPA), the process comprising:

(a) contacting uranium laden WPA with an oxidant to form an oxidized WPA stream;

(b) contacting the oxidized WPA stream with an organic solvent;

(c) separating a uranium enriched organic solvent stream from an aqueous WPA stream;

(d) contacting the uranium enriched organic solvent stream with an ammonium carbonate stream to form a uranium enriched ammonium carbonate stream;

(e) contacting the uranium enriched ammonium carbonate stream with an ion exchange resin;

(f) separating a uranium depleted ammonium carbonate stream from the ion exchange resin;

(g) contacting the ion exchange resin, after separating the uranium depleted ammonium carbonate stream therefrom, with a solution comprising chloride ions; and

(h) separating a uranyl solution from the ion exchange resin after contacting the ion exchange resin with the solution comprising chloride ions.

15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the organic solvent comprises di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid and trioctylphosphine oxide.

16. The process of claim 14 , wherein step (a) is preceded by an iron removal step.

17. The process of claim 14 , wherein the uranyl solution is further treated to provide a uranium containing product.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the further treatment comprises a precipitation step.

19. The process of claim 14 , wherein step (a) is preceded by:

decreasing the amount of dissolved iron species in the WPA relative to the amount of uranium species in the WPA to produce a lowered iron content WPA having uranium species therein; and

subjecting the lowered iron content WPA to a reduction step, wherein the valency of dissolved iron species remaining in the lowered iron content WPA is reduced.