Roger K. M. Rumbu
Phosphoric-acid treatment is used to remove uranium from selected African Copperbelt cobalt process liquors. This structured critical review develops a comparative decision framework linking uranium-retention mechanisms, phosphorus demand, and cobalt-product acceptance. Industrial accounts, laboratory experiments, dissolution studies, and conceptual process comparisons are appraised separately. The synthesis distinguishes discrete uranyl-phosphate precipitation, adsorption, and incorporation into host solids. It shows why a decrease in filtered uranium does not establish a unique retention mechanism or cobalt selectivity. Calcium-bearing hosts, reagent-derived metals, colloid capture, and uranium already present in seeds change the interpretation of dose and removal. A phosphorus-to-uranium molar ratio of one corresponds conditionally to 0.4117 kg pure H₃PO₄ per kilogram uranium. Sampling-inclusive balances connect this stoichiometric basis to measured transfer, while a downstream balance includes uranium retained in solids, entrained liquor, cobalt yield, and dry or wet product mass. Bicarbonate dissolution evidence makes residue acceptance dependent on exposure chemistry and duration. Economic reconciliation distinguishes reported payback conventions from unresolved reagent-consumption assumptions. The contribution is an evidence-to-decision framework: identify the phosphorus sinks, close uranium and cobalt inventories, discriminate the uranium host, and verify separation and product quality before selecting a site-specific dose.
@article{0c4bd47d-167a-49aa-a1ed-411c2ddb19ef,
title={Uranium Polishing from African Copperbelt Cobalt Process Liquors Using Phosphoric Acid},
author={Roger K. M. Rumbu},
year={2026},
language={en}
}TY - JOUR TI - Uranium Polishing from African Copperbelt Cobalt Process Liquors Using Phosphoric Acid AU - Roger K. M. Rumbu PY - 2026 LA - en ER -
J.J. Eksteen, E.A. Oraby
The paper presents the outcomes of exploratory research relating to the atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature leaching of nickel and cobalt fro
Ž. Kamberović, Z. Anđić, M. Korać, N. Gajić, B. Tomović
Wide application of hard metals requires increased consumption of their constituents. Their high cost and scarcity impose the need for finding new, bo
MBUYA ILUNGA Bienvenu, TSHIBANDA NTAKAMUTSHI Patrick, MUHUNGU TSHUYI Symphorien, KAWAMA NGOIE Francis, KASONGO KALENGA Gigi, NKULU WA NGOIE Guy
The current technological and economic constraints impose the development of efficient and eco-friendly processes for the simultaneous treatment of su
Copper solvent extraction units at large hydrometallurgical plants face constraints in metal recovery, phase disengagement, and reagent consumption, d
Introduction Concerns over air pollution and the environmental problem of acid rain have made governments all over the world tighten their regulations
Walaa A. Kassab
In this paper, leaching characteristics are presented, and a cost-effective process for extracting uranium, copper, and cadmium from Talet Seleim’s Gi