• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.4033-4041
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• 2021

To better understand the permeability of uranium sandstone, improve the leaching rate of uranium, and explore the change law of pore structure characteristics and blocking mechanism during leaching, we systematically analyzed the microstructure of acid-leaching uranium sandstone. We investigated the variable rules of pore structure characteristics based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results showed the following: (1) The uranium concentration change followed the exponential law during uranium deposits acid leaching. After 24 h, the uranium leaching rate reached 50%. The uranium leaching slowed gradually over the next 4 days. (2) Combined with the regularity of porosity variation, Stages I and II included chemical plugging controlled by surface reaction. Stage I was the major completion phase of uranium displacement with saturation precipitation of calcium sulfate. Stage II mainly precipitated iron (III) oxide-hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide. Stage III involved physical clogging controlled by diffusion. (3) In the three stages of leaching, the permeability of the leaching solution changed with the pore structure, which first decreased, then increased, and then decreased.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.1357-1371
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• 2024

To investigate the influence of different burial conditions on the seepage characteristics of loose sandstone in the leaching mining of sandstone uranium ore, this study applied different ground pressures and water pressures to rock samples at different burial depths to alter the rock's seepage characteristics. The permeability, pore distribution, and particle distribution characteristic parameters were determined, and the results showed that at the same burial depth, ground pressure had a greater effect on the reduction in permeability than water pressure. The patterns and mechanisms are as follows: under the influence of ground pressure, increasing the burial depth compresses the pores in the rock samples, decreases the proportion of effective permeable pores, and causes particle fragmentation, which blocks pore channels, resulting in a decrease in permeability. Under the influence of water pressure, increasing the burial depth expands the pores but also causes hard clay particles to decompose and block pore channels. As the burial depth increases, the particles eventually decompose completely, and the permeability initially decreases and then increases. In this experiment, the relationships between permeability and the proportion of pores larger than 0.15 ㎛ and the proportion of particles smaller than 59 ㎛ were found to be the most significant.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.566-574
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• 2023

Investigating the seepage characteristics of the leaching solution in the ore-bearing layer during the in situ leaching process can be useful for designing the process parameters for the uranium mining well. We prepared leaching solutions of four different viscosities and conducted experiments using a self-developed multifunctional uranium ore seepage test device. The effects of different viscosities of leaching solutions on the seepage characteristics of uranium-bearing sandstones were examined using seepage mechanics, physicochemical seepage theory, and dissolution erosion mechanism. Results indicated that while the seepage characteristics of various viscosities of leaching solutions were the same in rock samples with similar internal pore architectures, there were regular differences between the saturated and the unsaturated stages. In addition, the time required for the specimen to reach saturation varied with the viscosity of the leaching solution. The higher the viscosity of the solution, the slower the seepage flow from the unsaturated stage to the saturated stage. Furthermore, during the saturation stage, the seepage pressure of a leaching solution with a high viscosity was greater than that of a leaching solution with a low viscosity. However, the permeability coefficient of the high viscosity leaching solution was less than that of a low viscosity leaching solution.