A Review of In Situ Leaching (ISL) for Uranium Mining

Guihe Li; Jia Yao

doi:10.3390/mining4010009

journal article Open Access Mar 02, 2024

A Review of In Situ Leaching (ISL) for Uranium Mining

Guihe Li Jia Yao

Mining Vol. 4 No. 1 pp. 120-148 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/mining4010009

Abstract

Uranium, a cornerstone for nuclear energy, facilitates a clean and efficient energy conversion. In the era of global clean energy initiatives, uranium resources have emerged as a vital component for achieving sustainability and clean power. To fulfill the escalating demand for clean energy, continual advancements in uranium mining technologies are imperative. Currently, established uranium mining methods encompass open-pit mining, underground mining, and in situ leaching (ISL). Notably, in situ leaching stands out due to its environmental friendliness, efficient extraction, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, it unlocks the potential of extracting uranium from previously challenging low-grade sandstone-hosted deposits, presenting novel opportunities for uranium mining. This comprehensive review systematically classifies and analyzes various in situ leaching techniques, exploring their core principles, suitability, technological advancements, and practical implementations. Building on this foundation, it identifies the challenges faced by in situ leaching and proposes future improvement strategies. This study offers valuable insights into the sustainable advancement of in situ leaching technologies in uranium mining, propelling scientific research and practical applications in the field.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

179

[1]

Storrs "A Comprehensive Framework for Feasibility of CCUS Deployment: A Meta-Review of Literature on Factors Impacting CCUS Deployment" Int. J. Greenh. Gas Control (2023) 10.1016/j.ijggc.2023.103878

[2]

Yao, J., Han, H., Yang, Y., Song, Y., and Li, G. (2023). A Review of Recent Progress of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in China. Appl. Sci., 13. 10.3390/app13021169

[3]

Han "Coal-Fired Power Plant CCUS Project Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation and Forecasting Model Study" J. Clean. Prod. (2023) 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135657

[4]

Bai "Suppression of Anthracite Dust by a Composite of Oppositely-Charged Ionic Surfactants with Ultra-High Surface Activity: Theoretical Calculation and Experiments" Fuel (2023) 10.1016/j.fuel.2023.128075

[5]

Su "The Spillover Effects among Fossil Fuel, Renewables and Carbon Markets: Evidence under the Dual Dilemma of Climate Change and Energy Crises" Energy (2023) 10.1016/j.energy.2023.127304

[6]

Bai "Study on the Mechanism of the Influence of Surfactant Alkyl Chain Length on the Wettability of Anthracite Dust Based on EDLVO Theory and Inverse Gas Chromatography" Fuel (2023) 10.1016/j.fuel.2023.129187

[7]

Yao "Application of In-Situ Combustion for Heavy Oil Production in China: A Review" J. Oil Gas Petrochem. Sci. (2018) 10.30881/jogps.00014

[8]

Fetisov "Regulation and Impact of VOC and CO2 Emissions on Low-carbon Energy Systems Resilient to Climate Change: A Case Study on an Environmental Issue in the Oil and Gas Industry" Energy Sci. Eng. (2023) 10.1002/ese3.1383

[9]

Yao "Dynamic Analysis Approach to Evaluate In-Situ Combustion Performance for Heavy Oil Production" J. Oil Gas Petrochem. Sci. (2019) 10.30881/jogps.00023

[10]

Vieira "From Carbon Dependence to Renewables: The European Oil Majors’ Strategies to Face Climate Change" Bus. Strategy Environ. (2023) 10.1002/bse.3185

[11]

Li "A Review of the Metallogenic Mechanisms of Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposits in Hydrocarbon-Bearing Basins in China" Eng (2023) 10.3390/eng4020098

[12]

Rehm "Advanced Nuclear Energy: The Safest and Most Renewable Clean Energy" Curr. Opin. Chem. Eng. (2023) 10.1016/j.coche.2022.100878

[13]

Wu "Functional Nanomaterials for Selective Uranium Recovery from Seawater: Material Design, Extraction Properties and Mechanisms" Coord. Chem. Rev. (2023) 10.1016/j.ccr.2023.215097

[14]

Degueldre "Uranium as a Renewable for Nuclear Energy" Prog. Nucl. Energy (2017) 10.1016/j.pnucene.2016.03.031

[15]

Costa Peluzo, B.M.T., and Kraka, E. (2022). Uranium: The Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Beyond. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23. 10.3390/ijms23094655

[16]

Watkins "Challenges and Opportunities to Alloyed and Composite Fuel Architectures to Mitigate High Uranium Density Fuel Oxidation: Uranium Mononitride" J. Nucl. Mater. (2021) 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153048

[17]

Muellner "Nuclear Energy—The Solution to Climate Change?" Energy Policy (2021) 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112363

[18]

Wu "Genesis of Baixingtui Uranium Deposit in Songliao Basin" Uranium Geol. (2012)

[19]

Rong "Epigenetic Alteration and Its Constraints on Uranium Mineralization from the Qianjiadian Uranium Deposit, Southern Songliao Basin" Earth Sci.-J. China Univ. Geosci. (2016)

[20]

Cuney "The Extreme Diversity of Uranium Deposits" Minim. Depos. (2009) 10.1007/s00126-008-0223-1

[21]

Jiao "Review of Basin Uranium Resources in China" Earth Sci.-J. China Univ. Geosci. (2021)

[22]

Jin, R., Yu, R., and Miao, P. (2023). Basin Uranium Mineralization Law, Springer. 10.1007/978-981-19-6028-4_5

[23]

(2023, August 21). World Nuclear Association. Available online: https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/mining-of-uranium/world-uranium-mining-production.aspx.

[24]

OECD (2023, May 11). Uranium 2022: Resources, Production and Demand. Available online: https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/nuclear-energy/uranium-2022_2c4e111b-en.

[25]

Espinoza "MineLib: A Library of Open Pit Mining Problems" Ann. Oper. Res. (2013) 10.1007/s10479-012-1258-3

[26]

Richter "Strategic Mining Options Optimization: Open Pit Mining, Underground Mining or Both" Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol. (2016) 10.1016/j.ijmst.2016.09.015

[27]

Petersen "Heap Leaching as a Key Technology for Recovery of Values from Low-Grade Ores—A Brief Overview" Hydrometallurgy (2016) 10.1016/j.hydromet.2015.09.001

[28]

Abzalov "Sandstone-Hosted Uranium Deposits Amenable for Exploitation by In Situ Leaching Technologies" Appl. Earth Sci. (2012) 10.1179/1743275812y.0000000021

[29]

Resource estimation ofin situleach uranium projects

M. Z. Abzalov, S. R. Drobov, O. Gorbatenko et al.

Applied Earth Science 2014 10.1179/1743275814y.0000000055

[30]

Padilla "On the Optimization of Heap Leaching" Miner. Eng. (2008) 10.1016/j.mineng.2008.01.002

[31]

Ghorbani "Large Particle Effects in Chemical/Biochemical Heap Leach Processes—A Review" Miner. Eng. (2011) 10.1016/j.mineng.2011.04.002

[32]

Ghorbani "Heap Leaching Technology—Current State, Innovations and Future Directions: A Review" Miner. Process. Extr. Metall. Rev. (2016)

[33]

Robertson "Properties Governing the Flow of Solution through Crushed Ore for Heap Leaching" Hydrometallurgy (2022) 10.1016/j.hydromet.2021.105811

[34]

Dinh "Study on Leaching Systems and Recovery for PALUA–PARONG Low Grade Uranium Sandstone Ores" Hydrometallurgy (2020) 10.1016/j.hydromet.2019.105164

[35]

Three-dimensional reactive transport simulation of Uranium in situ recovery: Large-scale well field applications in Shu Saryssu Bassin, Tortkuduk deposit (Kazakhstan)

Antoine Collet, Olivier Regnault, Alexandr Ozhogin et al.

Hydrometallurgy 2022 10.1016/j.hydromet.2022.105873

[36]

Seredkin "In Situ Recovery, an Alternative to Conventional Methods of Mining: Exploration, Resource Estimation, Environmental Issues, Project Evaluation and Economics" Ore Geol. Rev. (2016) 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.06.016

[37]

Bhargava "A Review of Acid Leaching of Uraninite" Hydrometallurgy (2015) 10.1016/j.hydromet.2014.10.015

[38]

Mudd, G.M. (2022). Tailings and Mine Waste 2000, CRC Press.

[39]

Mudd "Critical Review of Acid In Situ Leach Uranium Mining: 2. Soviet Block and Asia" Environ. Geol. (2001) 10.1007/s002540100405

[40]

Zhao "Mineral Alteration and Pore-Plugging Caused by Acid In Situ Leaching: A Case Study of the Wuyier Uranium Deposit, Xinjiang, NW China" Arab. J. Geosci. (2018) 10.1007/s12517-018-4064-7

[41]

Su "Petrology, Mineralogy, and Ore Leaching of Sandstone-Hosted Uranium Deposits in the Ordos Basin, North China" Ore Geol. Rev. (2020) 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2020.103768

[42]

Zheng, F., Teng, Y., Zhai, Y., Hu, J., Dou, J., and Zuo, R. (2023). Geo-Environmental Models of In-Situ Leaching Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposits in North China: A Review and Perspective. Water, 15. 10.3390/w15061244

[43]

Mukherjee "Geological Relationship between Hydrocarbon and Uranium: Review on Two Different Sources of Energy and the Indian Scenario" Geoenergy Sci. Eng. (2023) 10.1016/j.petrol.2022.111255

[44]

Herring, J.S. (2013). Nuclear Energy, Springer.

[45]

Jia "Occurrence of Carbonate Cements and Relationship between Carbonate Cementation and Uranium Mineralization of Qianjiadian Uranium Deposit" Earth Sci. (2018)

[46]

Guthrie "Changing Uranium Distributions during Weathering of Granite" Chem. Geol. (1986) 10.1016/0009-2541(86)90075-6

[47]

Cuney "Classification of Sandstone-Related Uranium Deposits" J. Earth Sci. (2022) 10.1007/s12583-021-1532-x

[48]

Zhou "Uranium Recovery from Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposit by Acid In-Situ Leaching—An Example from the Kujieertai" Hydrometallurgy (2020) 10.1016/j.hydromet.2019.105209

[49]

Zhang "Trapping of Uranium by Organic Matter within Sandstones during Mineralization Process: A Case Study from the Shuanglong Uranium Deposit, China" Ore Geol. Rev. (2021) 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104296

[50]

Farjana "Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment of Uranium Extraction Processes" J. Clean. Prod. (2018) 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.105

Showing 50 of 179 references

Cited By

56

Sustainable mining re-examined: challenges, approaches, and the MASTER roadmap to cleaner processes

Khawla Lamghari, Yassine Taha · 2026

Minerals Engineering

Metrics

56

Citations

179

References

Details

Published: Mar 02, 2024
Vol/Issue: 4(1)
Pages: 120-148
License: View

Authors

G

Guihe Li

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA; School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

J

Jia Yao

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA

Cite This Article

Guihe Li, Jia Yao (2024). A Review of In Situ Leaching (ISL) for Uranium Mining. Mining, 4(1), 120-148. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining4010009

A Review of In Situ Leaching (ISL) for Uranium Mining

You May Also Like