Uranium Refining without solvent extraction

Uranium refining is a crucial process aimed at removing undesirable neutron-absorbing elements to ensure nuclear purity. This paper presents a novel process that eliminates hazardous organic solvents typically used in conventional solvent extraction methods, which not only produce significant nitrate-bearing liquid waste but also rely on toxic chemicals. The new methodology involves dissolving Yellow Cake in nitric acid and utilizing commercial-grade hydrogen peroxide to precipitate uranium peroxide hydrate selectively at controlled conditions, effectively leaving impurities in the solution. This proposed method reduces reliance on flammable and toxic substances, requiring less nitric acid while employing a more environmentally friendly chemical, hydrogen peroxide. The research demonstrates successful filtration and washing of the precipitate to achieve a nuclear-pure product that meets ASTM C–753-99 standards. Furthermore, the product undergoes spray drying and calcination to produce uranium oxide. This innovative process offers simplicity and potential integration into existing mills, with a patent application already submitted in multiple countries, including Canada, and further details are available in WIPO publication no: WO/2009/013759.