Separation of Uranium and Thorium from Mica-Rich Schist Bands Concentrate of Wadi Abu Rusheid Area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Hydrometallurgical processing of micaceous bands concentrate for recovering U and Th using sulfuric acid agitation leaching was studied. This concentrate assays 4.1% ZrO 2 , 3.8% Nb 2 O 5 , 1.2% RE 2 O 3 , 2.8% ThO 2 , and 0.55% U 3 O 8 . The corresponding minerals of these elements include zircon, ferrocolumbite, fergusonite, uranothorite, autunite, and uranophane. About 96% of Th and 94% of U were dissolved under optimum leaching conditions: 30% H 2 SO 4 , 1/3 S/L ratio, 4 h leaching time, and 85°C leaching temperature. Di(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate (HDEHP) in kerosene was used for U extraction with 90.9% efficiency and its separation from Th in the presence of 0.3 M EDTA solution. Th was then selectively precipitated from the raffinate solution as Th peroxide.