The use of carbonate lixiviants to remove uranium from uranium-contaminated soils

The objective of this research was to design an extraction media and procedure that would selectively remove uranium without adversely affecting the soils' physicochemical characteristics or generating secondary waste forms difficult to manage or dispose of. Investigations centered around determining the best lixiviant and how the various factors such as pH, time, and temperature influenced extraction efficiency. Other factors investigated included the influence of attrition scrubbing, the effect of oxidants and reductants, and the recycling of lixiviants. Experimental data obtained at the bench-and pilot-scale levels indicated 80% to 95% of the uranium could be removed from the uranium-contaminated soils by using a carbonate lixiviant. The best treatment was three successive extractions with 0.25M carbonate-bicarbonate (in presence of KMnO4 as an oxidant) at 40 degrees C followed with two water rinses.