AP19679911 — Improving the efficiency of uranium in-situ leaching in the development of complex hydrogenic deposits

Purpose: Increasing the efficiency of uranium leaching in the development of complex hydrogenic deposits by concentrating the leaching solution with oxygen

Relevance: Due to the difficult mining and geological conditions of the deposit, the recoverability of uranium from the subsurface is about 50% with an acidity of leaching solutions of 10-15 g/l for easily recoverable deposits and 80% with an acidity of 20-25 g/l for hard-to-extract uranium.  All this ultimately leads to a decrease in the uranium content in the productive solution, increased consumption of sulfuric acid, and an increase in the life of the deposit. There are various ways to intensify the leaching process, the use of which requires additional capital and operating costs and differs in technological difficulties in application. The idea of the work is to increase the uranium content in the productive solution by concentrating the leaching solution with oxygen from the air using a special injector.

Scientific supervisor: Candidate of technical sciences, Associate Professor, Aben Yerbolat

Results obtained: Within the framework of the research, a novel technology for oxygen saturation of leaching solutions using a специальный injector was proposed. The method is based on flow acceleration and pressure reduction, which enables air suction and enhances oxygen transfer into the solution. Experimental studies identified the key parameters affecting oxygen concentration, including flow rate, solution volume, and reagent concentration. A methodology for industrial implementation and a connection scheme for injection wells were developed. The application of the technology increases uranium concentration in the productive solution by approximately 1.6 times, improving overall efficiency. All research objectives were fully achieved, demonstrating both scientific novelty and strong practical relevance.

List of publications with links to them

1. Абен Е.Х., Ахметканов Д.К., Елузах М., Елжанов Е.А. Сілтілеу ерітіндісінің оттегімен тотығу технологиясын зерттеу // Горный журнал Казахстана. – 2023. – № 10. – С. 13–18. – DOI: https://doi.org/10.48498/minmag.2023.222.10.008. – URL: https://minmag.kz/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2310_13-18.pdf.
2. Yussupov Kh., Aben E., Akhmetkanov D., Aben Kh., Yussupova S. Investigation of the solid oxidizer effect on the metal geotechnology efficiency // Mining of Mineral Deposits. – 2023. – Vol. 17, No. 4. – P. 12–17. – DOI: https://doi.org/10.33271/mining17.04.012. – URL: http://mining.in.ua/articles/volume17_4/02.pdf.
3. Aben E., Yussupova S., Akhmetkanov D., Yelzhanov E., Sarybayev N. Research into Uranium Characteristics and Content in a Pregnant Solution During Leaching with Oxygen Saturation // Civil Engineering Journal. – 2024. – Vol. 10, No. 5. – P. 1606–1615. – DOI: https://doi.org/10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-05-016. – URL: https://www.civilejournal.org/index.php/cej/article/view/4971/pdf.
4. Yussupov K., Abdissattar G., Aben E., Myrzakhmetov S., Akhmetkanov D., Yelzhanov E. A Novel Process for Decolmatation of Wells During In Situ Leach Mining of Uranium // Civil Engineering Journal. – 2025. – Vol. 11, No. 4. – P. 1447–1457. – DOI: https://doi.org/10.28991/CEJ-2025-011-04-011. – URL: https://civilejournal.org/index.php/cej/article/view/5713/pdf.