Optimization of the Leaching Kinetics for Uranium Recovery from a Boltwoodite Ore as Emerging Solution to Nigerian Power Sector

The continuous rise of the population cum standard of living has resulted in Nigerians looking for a profound solution to the fast-growing demand for electrical energy with sustainability concerns including greenhouse gas emissions limitation. Thus, the investigation of uranium leaching kinetics and thermodynamics has become one of the most crucial topics in leach technology, where many distinct results have been obtained. In this study, the influence of sulfuric acid concentration, reaction temperature, solid-to-liquid ratio, and leaching time were all investigated. At established experimental conditions (2.5 mol/L H₂SO₄, 75 °C, 75 µm), the uranium ore dissolution efficiency recorded was 89.1% within 120 min. The kinetic and thermodynamic tests of the leaching process coupled with the reaction mechanism between sulfuric acid and uranium were discussed. Hence, the results confirm that the dissolution mechanism of uranium was diffusion controlled, exothermic, and spontaneous.

Graphical Abstract