| abstract |
In the in-situ leaching of valuable minerals such as uranium, a leaching solution is injected into the mineral-bearing formation, permitted to remain in contact with the formation to effect the solubilization of desirable mineral values therefrom, and then withdrawn either from the original injection well or a nearby production well. Presently, upon removal from the production well, the mineral bearing solution is filtered aboveground prior to chemical extraction of the valuable minerals. A serious problem has arisen in that highly radioactive radium ions have been found to accumulate, both in the circulating leach solution and in various aboveground equipment resulting in serious waste disposal problems. The instant method utilizes a sand pack containing barium salts, which ion exchange with the radium ions so that the latter are prevented from reaching the surface. |