INVESTIGATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ASSOCIATED METALS IN PRODUCTIVE WELLS FOR IN SITU RECOVERY (ISR) OF URANIUM

Abstract

Uranium in situ recovery (ISR) is an effective method for extracting uranium from sandstone deposits. Many uranium deposits are characterized by the presence of associated metals: gold, platinum group metals and rare earth metals. For one of the uranium deposits in Kazakhstan, studies were carried out on sampling from productive wells at the ISR of uranium. An analysis was carried out for the content of uranium, rare earth elements, scandium, germanium, yttrium and other metals. For the study, samples were taken from productive wells used for uranium ISL. Studies have shown the presence of valuable associated metals in almost all productive wells where samples were taken. The analysis showed the possibility of extracting associated metals from productive solutions. It is noted that a higher effect can be achieved on mothballed wells when using leaching solutions with a higher redox potential. This will make it possible to obtain an additional economic effect from suspended (closed) wells, the number of which is over 70% of the total number of wells drilled in this field.