Uranium ore from the Sue open pit
mines is transported by 100 ton trucks to be stockpiled
at the JEB mill.
The ore mixed with water is ground
to a fine sand, and the mixture or slurry is pumped
to the leach tanks.
In the leaching process, sulphuric acid and hydrogen
peroxide are added to the slurry to dissolve the
uranium from the ore.
The waste solids are separated from
the product solution in the countercurrent decantation
(CCD) process. The solids are neutralized and pumped
to the TMF. The solution containing uranium is put
through sand filters for clarification.
The clarified solution is processed
in the solvent extraction (SX) circuit for purification
& concentration. An organic solution is used to
extract the uranium. Ammonium sulphate then strips
the uranium from the organic solution, which is
recycled through the SX circuit.
Ammonia gas precipitates the uranium out of the
purified product solution. Excess moisture is removed
in the dryer (calciner). The remaining uranium concentrate
or yellowcake, which is about 99% UO3 or 84% uranium,
is shipped in barrels to a refinery.
