PROBLEMS OF LEACHING AND DIGESTION OF URANIFEROUS SLAGS. Progress report No. 2 for June 1951

The volume of H/sub 2/ evolved on dissolving screened nonroasted U- bearing scrap, slag, and liner in HCl were determined; the values were found to indicate the degree of removal of metallic particles by screening. Digestions of nonroasted plant-pulverized scrap with HNO/sub 3/, NaNO/sub 3/, or Fe/sub 2/(SO/ sub 4/)/sub 3/ in HCl and with HNO/sub 3/ or NaNO/sub 3/ in H/su b 2/SO/sub 4/ were not so effective as digestion with NaClO/sub 3/ in HCl. Doubling the free acid content and addition of FeSO/sub 4/ improved the efficiency of the latter digestion. Removal of CaF/sub 2/ from crude (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/ UO/sub 4/ by solution of the uranate in acetic acid, HCl, or Hsub 2SO/sub 4/ was limited by slow filtration rates. (W.L.H.)