PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF URANIUM EXTRACTION FROM ZONES OF RESERVOIR OXIDATION USING ULTRASONIC TECHNOLOGY

This article gives physical and chemical aspects of uranium extraction from zones of reservoir oxidation using ultrasonic technology, and offers theoretical substantiation of the technology of in-situ uranium leaching in Kazakhstan. The presence of significant and well-explored uranium resources, developed uranium mining and processing facilities, as well as the current situation on the world uranium market predetermine the prospects for the development of the uranium mining industry in Kazakhstan. Host rocks of uranium localized at the fronts of reservoir oxidation zones are largely similar in terms of the chemical composition. Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, K, Na are among the most widespread petrogenic elements of rock-forming minerals. Uranium is observed in association with iron, vanadium, selenium, molybdenum, rhenium and other elements. Uranium mineralization is represented by exogenous (secondary) minerals-pitchblende and coffinite. In the general balance of uranium minerals, pitchblende is about 30% and coffinite is about 70%. Nasturan (xUO2xyUO3xz) represents an association of tetravalent uranium dioxide and hexavalent uranium trioxide with a variable composition: (UO2 + UO3)-65-85%, coffinite-tetravalent uranium silicate USiO4.