Beneficiation of low-grade Uranium ore from The Atomic Energy Commission (Mark-KS/3-B)

Abstract

The Report deals with the concentration of a low-grade uranium ore assaying 0.062 percent U3O8 equivalent and containing quartz, magnetite, apatite, hornblende, biotite and epidote as the principal minerals. The Uranium minerals being soft, produce a high grade of slime-0.27 percent U3O8 equivalent in the -10 micron fraction and 0.18 percent U3O8 equivalent in the -20 micron fraction which accounts for 36.6 percent of uranium in the ore, under optimum grinding conditions. Tabling, magnetic separation and flotation methods have been studied under varying conditions. A high grade concentrate (about 1.4 percent U3O8 equivalent) can be obtained by a combination of either tabling and magnetic separation, or flotation, tabling and magnetic separation but the recovery of uranium bearing concentrates are also mixed, a concentrate of grade 0.193 percent U3O8 equivalent can be obtained, with a recovery of about 80.0 percent.