INVESTIGATION OF CONCENTRATION METHOD OF SCANDIUM-CONTAINING SOLUTIONS

In current times, enterprises in Kazakhstan that extract uranium by in-situ leaching (ISL) method do not simultaneously recover valuable components. Cardinal problems in this area are the issues of reserves estimation and the availability of effective technology that allows for cost-effective operations. The peculiarities of processing solutions of ISL uranium should also include extremely low contents of valuable components and a complex chemical composition. To solve some of these problems, the authors are working on the development and optimization of technological solutions. This article presents studies results of further concentration and purification of scandium strippants of the first operations of scandium sorption from uranium sorption filtrates of the ISL cycle. Concentration effect of sodium carbonate on the kinetics and desorption efficiency of scandium from the resin was studied using the example of SE-DEHPA resin under static conditions. Solution's pH influence on second stage operation of sorption on SE-DEHPA resin under static conditions is recognized, and the possibility of subsequent carbonate desorption of scandium was investigated. As a result of the laboratory studies, a basic technological scheme of scandium associated extraction was developed within the framework of the ISL uranium cycle and the main technological parameters and modes were determined that formed the basis of the basic technical and economic assessment.