The disclosure relates to a beneficiation process for low grade uranium ore, wherein the process comprises a primary beneficiation stage comprising: wet scrubbing the low grade uranium ore to separate the low grade ore into a fine fraction and a coarse fraction; screening the fine fraction according to a size separation parameter to provide an undersize fraction and an oversize fraction, wherein the uranium predominantly reports to the undersize fraction; and separating the undersize fraction to produce an intermediate uranium concentrate. The intermediate uranium concentrate may be further processed in a secondary beneficiation stage to produce a high grade uranium concentrate.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for recovering radium-226. In one embodiment, uranium ore and/or tailings are processed to achieve an aqueous solution comprising radium-226. A macrocyclic material may be used to sorb the radium-226 from the aqueous solution. The macrocyclic material may subsequently be exposed to a recovery solution, such as EDTA, to recover the radium-226.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for recovering radium-226. In one embodiment, uranium ore and/or tailings are processed to achieve an aqueous solution comprising radium-226. A macrocyclic material may be used to sorb the radium-226 from the aqueous solution. The macrocyclic material may subsequently be exposed to a recovery solution, such as EDTA, to recover the radium-226.

A method for recovering heavy metals and rare earth elements from fly ash, coal ash, and unrefined mineral ores containing rare earth metals using an ionic liquid and an organic acid to solubilize the metals. The solubilized components are removed from the ionic liquid by electrochemical deposition. The heavy metals and rare earth elements are deposited onto an electrode, and then purified via electrochemical processing.

A method for recovering heavy metals and rare earth elements from fly ash, coal ash, and unrefined mineral ores containing rare earth metals using an ionic liquid and an organic acid to solubilize the metals. The solubilized components are removed from the ionic liquid by electrochemical deposition. The heavy metals and rare earth elements are deposited onto an electrode, and then purified via electrochemical processing.

The method of separating an actinide within a mixture of an Rn-progeny alpha emitting isotope includes disposing a continuous air monitoring filter in acetone. The acetone is then evaporated, thereby forming a residue. The residue is mixed with a first solution including nitric acid, thus forming a first blend. The first blend is mixed with a second solution including an extraction solvent, thus forming a second blend. The second blend is stratified into a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is extracted from the second blend, thus separating the actinide from the Rn-progeny alpha emitting isotope.

The method of separating an actinide within a mixture of an Rn-progeny alpha emitting isotope includes disposing a continuous air monitoring filter in acetone. The acetone is then evaporated, thereby forming a residue. The residue is mixed with a first solution including nitric acid, thus forming a first blend. The first blend is mixed with a second solution including an extraction solvent, thus forming a second blend. The second blend is stratified into a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is extracted from the second blend, thus separating the actinide from the Rn-progeny alpha emitting isotope.

Methods of processing phosphogypsum (PG) to recover Radium (e.g., .sup.226Ra), and/or other constituents from PG, are described. PG (stockpiled PG, fresh PG or a combination) is combined with a leach solution, allowed to react for 2-6 hours (e.g., a single leaching step), at a temperature in the range of about 40-70 C. to obtain leachate and leach residue. Further processing by subjecting the leachate and/or the leach residue to one or more separation techniques, such as ion exchange, enables the recovery of one or more constituents of interest. By separating .sup.226Ra, rare earth elements (REE) and/or other constituents from this secondary resource (e.g., waste PG), gypsum can be purified for use in the construction industry, the recovery of .sup.226Ra can be used to produce dedicated isotopes like .sup.223Ra and/or .sup.225Ac for life-saving cancer medication, and raw materials can be provided for the high-tech industry, agriculture and the building industry.

Methods of processing phosphogypsum (PG) to recover Radium (e.g., .sup.226Ra), and/or other constituents from PG, are described. PG (stockpiled PG, fresh PG or a combination) is combined with a leach solution, allowed to react for 2-6 hours (e.g., a single leaching step), at a temperature in the range of about 40-70 C. to obtain leachate and leach residue. Further processing by subjecting the leachate and/or the leach residue to one or more separation techniques, such as ion exchange, enables the recovery of one or more constituents of interest. By separating .sup.226Ra, rare earth elements (REE) and/or other constituents from this secondary resource (e.g., waste PG), gypsum can be purified for use in the construction industry, the recovery of .sup.226Ra can be used to produce dedicated isotopes like .sup.223Ra and/or .sup.225Ac for life-saving cancer medication, and raw materials can be provided for the high-tech industry, agriculture and the building industry.

Methods of processing phosphogypsum (PG) to recover Radium (e.g., .sup.226Ra), and/or other constituents from PG, are described. PG (stockpiled PG, fresh PG or a combination) is combined with a leach solution, allowed to react for 2-6 hours (e.g., a single leaching step), at a temperature in the range of about 40-70 C. to obtain leachate and leach residue. Further processing by subjecting the leachate and/or the leach residue to one or more separation techniques, such as ion exchange, enables the recovery of one or more constituents of interest. By separating .sup.226Ra, rare earth elements (REE) and/or other constituents from this secondary resource (e.g., waste PG), gypsum can be purified for use in the construction industry, the recovery of .sup.226Ra can be used to produce dedicated isotopes like .sup.223Ra and/or .sup.225Ac for life-saving cancer medication, and raw materials can be provided for the high-tech industry, agriculture and the building industry.