EXTRACTTION OF URANIUM AND COPPER FROM CALCAREOUS SHALE, UM BOGMA FORMATION, G. ALLOUGA, SOUTH WESTERN, SINAI-EYGPT.

Abstract

Nuclear Materials Authority (NMA) exploration activities for uranium resources and associated metals were focusing on Um Bogma environs, Sinai. The studied area located 40 km to the east of Abu Zinema town on the east coast of the Gulf of Suez, southwestern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. It’s located between latitudes 29o 00` 00`` and 29o 04` 00` N and longitudes 33o 22` 00`` and 33o 27` 00``. Representative calcareous shale samples from Um Bogma Formation, G. Allouga area, Sinai assaying 874 ppm uranium and 2050 ppm copper were collected for the leaching, extraction and precipitation of both uranium and copper. The present work carried out in this thesis was classified into three main chapters: Chapter (I): The introduction includes the main aspects related to the chemistry of U and Cu as well as chemistry of ion exchange, and solvent extraction. A comprehensive literature survey related to the leaching, extraction and determination of the selected elements from different media were also included. Chapter (II): The experimental work contains the chemicals and reagents used in this study as well as the methods utilized for determination and characterization of U and Cu. It includes also description for the instrumentation and experimental techniques used during this work. Chapter (III): the results and discussion, which covers the leaching and extraction of the selected elements from the calcareous shale sample and the factors affecting the leaching and separation processes for both alkaline and acidic leaching.