CSA Global, Technical Director, Dr Maxim Seredkin, will present on his recently co-authored paper with General Director, Nuclear Energy Systems of Ukraine, Ukraine and Expert IAEA on ‘Ukraine – the pioneer of in-situ recovery returns to this method of extraction.’
Dr Seredkin will present at the upcoming AusIMM Uranium Digital Conference, scheduled to run over 5 half days, commencing 3-5 and 10-11 August 2021.
The conference will showcase the latest developments in the global uranium industry. Don’t miss this outstanding opportunity to hear from the world’s most knowledgeable uranium and nuclear experts on current operations and new projects, global exploration, nuclear growth, market and economics, and investment.
Abstract
In-situ recovery (ISR) transfers hydrometallurgical processing of mineralised bodies to the subsurface to directly obtain solutions of commodities. As a result, there is little surface disturbance.
For ISR to be successful, however, deposits need to be permeable, and commodities need to be readily amenable to dissolution with an acceptable consumption of leaching reagents.
The Ukrainian paleochannel uranium deposits of the Dnipro basin were the first projects in the world where ISR technology was applied, particularly the Devladovskoye uranium deposit. Uranium extraction through ISR was used for these deposits until the 1980s when this method was suspended due to the discovery and development of significant roll-front uranium deposits in South Kazakhstan.
Uranium mining continued, however, in Ukraine from the Metastatic deposit using conventional mining methods.
The Dnipro basin contains numerous small uranium deposits that may still be amenable to ISR.
Safonovka uranium deposit is the first paleochannel deposit that has been investigated by the Nuclear Energy Systems of Ukraine in the modern period.
Four potential methods of ISR may be used for extraction of uranium from the Safonovka deposit, as well as other deposits in the Dnipro basin:
· Sulphuric acid leaching (evaluated by field tests)
· Sulphuric acid leaching with hydrogen peroxide (evaluated by laboratory test work)
· Sulphuric acid leaching with oxygen gas
· Extraction by oxygen gas without acid (innovative technology used in Uzbekistan).
Sulphuric acid leaching with hydrogen peroxide is regarded as the most prospective method. However, the extraction of uranium by oxygen gas will also be evaluated, given it is the most environmentally friendly and potentially the most profitable method.
Dr Maxim Seredkin’s on demand presentation will be available on Thursday August 12, between 9.00 am – 12 pm.
Author
Dr Maxim Seredkin
Technical Director
Dr Seredkin has more than 18 years’ experience in exploration, mining production and resource estimation. He has experience in a range of commodities and reporting codes (including JORC and NI43-101). Maxim is particularly sought after in industry and academia for his expertise in uranium, he has in-depth experience across a range of geological settings and deposit types. He has specialist skills in the application of in-situ recovery for uranium extraction. In addition to uranium expertise, Maxim has experience in bauxite, rare earths and iron ore. Maxim has a strong scientific background, with research experience in ore genesis, petrology and the mineralisation of carbonatite, alkaline and ultramafic complexes, in hydrothermal-metasomatic gold and tungsten deposits.