Chapter 22: Problem 7

Discuss the extraction of uranium form pitchblende ore.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Uranium is extracted from pitchblende ore through a process that includes crushing the ore, leaching (typically with sulfuric acid), purification to remove impurities, and eventually precipitation with an alkali. The end product is a uranium powder known as yellowcake.

Step by step solution

Crushing the pitchblende ore

The first step in the extraction process is to crush the pitchblende ore into smaller pieces to increase the surface area for the subsequent chemical reactions.

Leaching

The crushed ore is then exposed to leaching with acid or alkali. Generally sulfuric acid used for uranium leaching. This process converts the uranium to a water-soluble form, uranium sulfate.

Purification

In this step, the solution obtained from leaching undergoes purification. Impurities such as iron, arsenic, vanadium are removed. The uranium is then precipitated from solution usually by adding a source of alkalinity like lime or ammonia.

Uranium production

The precipitated uranium product is then filtered, dried and heated to produce a fine uranium powder, commonly known as yellowcake, which can be further processed into fuel for nuclear reactors.

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Discuss the extraction of uranium form pitchblende ore.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Crushing the pitchblende ore

Leaching

Purification

Uranium production

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