CJSC Scientific Development and Production Center “Advanced Processing of Raw Materials”, Moscow, Russia:

V. P. Volkov, Chief Engineer, e-mail: npogps@mail.ru
N. M. Meshcheryakov, Executive Officer

Representation of a Purolite International Limited Company in Russia and CIS, Moscow, Russia:

N. V. Nikitin, Executive Officer of Representative
M. A. Mikhaylenko, Deputy Executive Officer of Representative

Authors developed the technology and industrial practice of rhenium extraction from the industrial solutions of uranium leaching on Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combinat, Uzbekistan Republic. These researchings are presented in this article. In 2003 the investigation was undertaken on recovery of rhenium from uranium barren solutions. The process is based on application of compositional extractive polymers CEP-100 and CEP-200, which are manufactured by Purolite Company. In laboratory researchings the sorption was curried out from modeling of solutions with concentrations of rhenium of 1 mg/l, uranium — 2 mg/l, sulfate anion — 20 g/l and pH 1.35. It was shown that despite high salinity and low concentration of rhenium the CEP-100 reached the 1.86 mg/ml of rhenium loading. Desorption of rhenium was done by 2% of aqueous ammonia at ambient temperature. Feasibility study resulted in development of the process flowsheet and construction of a pilot plant on the site. During the pilot study, there were investigated two sorbents and there were established optimal conditions of sorption and desorption. The process is arranged in column with compact polymer bed. That kind of solution is fed up-flow with linear velocity of 20–30 m/h. Time of sorption operation is 6–7 days before switching of the column to desorption regime. Desorption is curried out for 10 hours by aqueous ammonia. Output of commercial desorbate is 4.3–4.5 of bed volumes. Pilot operation proved the CEP-200 is the best of two polymers.

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