About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Rare Metal Extraction & Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Alkaline Leaching of Uranium from an Indigenous Boltwoodite ore for Nuclear Fuel Production |
| Author(s) |
Alafara Abdullahi Baba, Mustapha A. RAJI, Rafiu B. BALE, Kuranga I. AYINLA, Fausat T. AKANJI, Daud T. OLAOLUWA, Christianah O. ADEYEMI, Ayo F. BALOGUN |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Alafara Abdullahi Baba |
| Abstract Scope |
As the global energy demand appreciably increases due to the rise in population growth and manufacturing industries, nuclear energy would play a vital role in meeting future demand as a result of its high energy density and low carbon emissions. Thus, uranium is an important nuclear fuel and a strategic resource for national security. The separation and recovery of uranium from an indigenous boltwoodite ore in ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) leaching was examined. The influences of some experimental parameters, including leachant concentration, reaction temperature, and particle size, were studied to optimize the leaching kinetics. At a set of established conditions, uranium dissolution reached 76.1 %, as activation energy of 22.27 kJ/mol was estimated for the diffusion-controlled leaching process. The purification of the uranium leach liquor was subsequently achieved through precipitation routes to obtain high-grade industrial uranium compound recommended for use in nuclear fuel applications. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Hydrometallurgy, Characterization |