Orrego Uranium Resources Chile

7/25/2019 Orrego Uranium Resources Chile

1/43

Uranium and Thorium Resources in Chile

Prospection and Recovery Experiences

Pedro A. Orrego Alfaro

M. Sc. Metallurgical Engineer

9 12 Julio 2013

ComisinChilenadeEnergaNuclear

Congreso Minero Mundial

Interregional CYTED-UNECE-IAEA UNFC Workshop

Colegio de Ingenieros de Chile

Santiago, Chile


2/43

2

Introduction

Uranium exploration in Chile

Legal status of uranium in Chile

Future activities required

Uranium metallurgy

Conclusions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear


3/43

3

NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE, DEVELOPMENT IN CHILE



4/43

4

To establish, increase and maintain of currently geological

estimation of the potential Atomic Natural Materials and

Interested Nuclear Materials in the country, to the

governmental considerations into national policies, also,

requirement of public and private companies.

To develop and investigate technologies for the concentration

and purification of Atomic Natural Materials and Interested

Nuclear Materials and/or solutions that contain them.

GEOLOGY & MINING SECTION

MAIN OBJECTIVES



5/43

GEOLOGICAL AREA

5Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear


6/43

MOST COMMON MINERAL OCURRENCES IN CHILE



7/437

MOST COMMON MINERAL OCURRENCES IN CHILE



8/438Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear

METHODOLOGY PROSPECTING OF URANIUM ORES IN CHILE


9/439

RESOURCES, HYSTORICAL REVIEW



10/4310Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear


11/43



12/43

12

1. Superficial deposits area, Upper Cenozoic

2. Metasomatic and vein related deposits

areas, Upper Cretaceous

3. Hydrothermal - magmatic deposits area,

Upper Cenozoic

MAIN METALLOGENIC PROVINCES IN NORTH

OF CHILE



13/43

13

GEOLOGICAL FAVORABILITY FOR URANIUM

Applying basic geological parameters

for major uranium deposits models

worldwide to national geology.



14/43

14

Salar Grande, I Region

Cerro Carmen, III Region

MAIN PROSPECTS KNOWN IN CHILE

Phosphate rocks at Baha Inglesa, III Region

Productora, III Region

Cerro Castillo, IX Region



15/43

SALAR GRANDE


Pull-apart basin, salt flat, formed by tectonic accomodation

structures related to Atacama fault system in Pleistocene

Previosly explored by ESSEX minerals in 1977-1981

Lens shaped and erratic mineralization of carnotite and

schroeckingerite from 200 up to 1,000 ppm of U3O8in blue halite

3 Structural dominions

Dextral N-S faults dipping 80 70 E

NW-SE transpressive dextral lineations (Salar Grande fault

system, with extensional T type faults associated)

E-W Normal faults, dipping 50 60 N

10 radiometric anomalous zones, related to these fault

intersections


16/43

16

CHILEAN PHOSPHORITES

AR

survey

They occur in marine sediments

of the continental shelf off the

coast between 23

and 31

LS.

Sediments overly

unconformably to Paleozoic

basement.

From north to south, the main

manifestations are Mejillones,

Bahia Inglesa, Bahia Salado and

Tongoy.

Phosphate rocks, phosphorites

and vein deposits with apatite,

all of them from low to medium

quality grade in P2O5.



17/43

CERRO CARMEN

Located 20 km NW of Diego de Almagro city in III Region, north of

Chile.

Chargeability anomaly associated.

Disseminated davidite-mineralized bodies, in a 4002.000m zone at

surface.

Skarn deposit with uranium (U) and Rare Earth Elements (REE)

associated, hosted in intermediate to basic volcanic rocks.

Other elements also present, like Th, Ti, Fe, Y and Sc.

In a structural trend NW with emplacements of monzonitic and

aplitic intrusive rocks from upper Cretaceous age with K

metasomatism and mineralization of U and REE.

In the contact of volcanic rocks from La Negra Formation

(Pliensbachian to upper Jurassic), with Sierra Aspera Pluton

(Neocomian).



18/43

PROSPECTO PRODUCTORA

12 Km SW of Vallenar city in III region.

Ryolites (hauterivian-barremian) in

contact with middle Cretaceous

intrusive unit.

Hydrothermal alteration zone of

3x0.7km, trending N10W.

Development of regional and contact

methamorphism and potassic

metasomatism, enhancement ofperthitic structures.

18Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear (Aragon Resources Limited).


19/43

19

Mineralized dikes, after

hydrothermal alteration

they add chlorite and Fe+3

to the system, and also P is

released from apatite Fixation of uranium as

torbenite and austenite in

Prospecto Productora



20/43

20

RESULTS FOR THE EXPLORATION OF URANIUM

7% of the Chilean continental territory has been explored.

The main results are:

1,200 radio-metric and geochemical anomalies.

80 occurrences of Uranium and Thorium.

70 Sectors of interest.

10 Uranium Prospects of Thorium and Rare-earth metals.

In 4 prospects, preliminary geological studies have been conducted.



21/43

21

IDENTIFIED CONVENTIONAL RESOURCES(Reasonably Assured and Inferred Resources)


Source: Uranium 2011: Resources, Production and Demand. (Red book)


22/43

22

UNDISCOVERED CONVENTIONAL RESOURCES(Prognosticated and Speculative Resources)




23/43

23

UNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCES AND OTHER MATERIALS




24/43

24

URANIUM RESOURCES, CHILE (TONNES U)




25/43

Training and formation of new human resources.

Updateuranium exploration techniques and equipment.

Focus of exploration on first priority areas and development of projects in

Project Portfolio [Uranium geological research projects needed to improveunderstanding of deposits models detected, define new models and advance indetermining the country's uranium potential.].

25

Source: Investigacin Geolgica del Potencial de Uranio, Chile, Avance-2001. Cartera de Proyectos.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES REQUIRED



26/43

LEGAL SITUATION OF URANIUM IN CHILE

Law 18,097 enacted on January 21, 1982

Article 3rd : They are concessible, and for them any interested party

may be constitute a mining concession, all substances metallic and

nonmetallic minerals, and in general, all fossil substances, in whatever

form they are naturally present, No mining concession

susceptible liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, lithium,

Law 18,248 enacted on September 26, 1983, CODIGO DE MINERIA

Article 10nt h: The State has, at regular price and market arrangements,

the right first choice purchase of mining products originated in mines

developed in the country in which the thorium and uranium have

significant presence... the producer must notify their productionto Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission so that it can exercise that right by

the State, and will point out the quantity, quality and other

characteristics of the product, its market price and the manner, timing

and place of delivery ......



27/43

27

METALLURGICAL AREA



28/43



29/43

29

Leaching (H2SO4, Fe3+, MnO2, NaHCO3 Na2CO3)

(UO2) (UO22+)

Acid (Ganga Silica)

Basic (Ganga calcareous)

PLS

Ionic Exchange Solvent Extraction

PrecipitationYellow - Cake

(NH4)2U2O7

(NH4)4UO2(CO3)3

UO4* 2H2O[U3O8] > 75 %

METHODOLOGY FOR OBTAINING URANIUM CONCENTRATES


Crushing

Milling


30/43

30

AMONIUM DIURANATE - ADU

2

4242472244

4

342 SO4OH3SO)(NH2OU)(NHOHNH6)(SOUO2

++++


Precipitation

(UO2(SO4)3)4-

NH4OH

(NH4)2U2O7

AMONIUM URANIL CARBONATE AUC


31/43

31

AMONIUM URANIL CARBONATE - AUC

3433244324232 NONH2)(COUO)(NHCO)(NH3)(NOUO ++

3433244232232 NONH2)(COUO)(NHCO3)(NH6OH3)(NOUO ++++

OH3NONH2)(NOUO2HNO6OU)(NH 23423237224 +++



32/43

32

OH3NONH2)(NOUO2HNO6OU)(NH 23423237224 +++

( ) 3S24222232 HNO2O2HUOOH2OH)(NOUO +++

BI-HIDRATED URANIUM PEROXIDE

Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear 75% U3O8


33/43


URANIUM DIOXIDE

OHNH2UO2TOU)(NH 2330

7224 +++

OHUONHUO 22223 +++


34/43

34

URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE


4HFFUOOH2UF 2226 ++

O2HFSnClUF4HF2SnClFUO 2224222 ++++

2

0

4 2MgFUMg2UF ++


35/43

35

The ore sample, has an average of

0.1011% U3O8, coming from Productora,

located in near to of Vallenar city, IIIRegion.

Ore corresponds to Davidita (Fe2+ , TR, U,

Ca, Na, Zr, Th) (Ti4+ , Fe 3+ , U, V3+ , Cr3+)3 (O,

OH)7), ilmenite weakly magnetic, further,

secondary minerals idiomorphic to

powdery types torbernite

((Cu(UO2)2Si2O5)3x5H2O) and autunite

(Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2x10-12(H2O)).

The ore, after being crushed and

conditioning, was leached with sulfuric

solutions in pad.

The obtained results can be summarized

in the recovery of 89% of the uranium

and an acid consumptions of around 32

kgH2SO4/tonnes and 26 kg H2SO4/kg U3O8

Rin the leaching stage.Comisin Chilena de Energa Nuclear

TREATMENT OF A RADIOACTIVE MINERAL, PROSPECTO PRODUCTORA.


36/43

36



Feed solutions to the SX showed a content of 1.8 g/L U 3O8 and pH 1,

which are contacted with the organic phase in three stages arranged

in series, it was obtained refining concentrations lower than 0.01g/L.

Feeds loaded organic phase stripping stage generating U3O8 rich

electrolyte of 20 g/L.


37/43


"Yellow Cake" obtained by treatment of

ore from the Prospecto Productora.


Rich electrolyte from SX is precipitated using NH 4OH to pH 7.5,

obtaining yellow-cake or ADU

ASOCIATION C U M PROJECT CCHEN CODELCO


38/43


ASOCIATION Cu U Mo : PROJECT CCHEN - CODELCO

The objetive of this project was recover uranium and molybdenum in its

commercial forms, from hydrometallurgical processes. In consideration

of CODELCO, the business opportunity is interesting, since the potential

contribution of this project allows a reduction of the net cost of copper

production of the Division.

The proposed processes by Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission,

involves directly co-extract Mo and U from RTs aqueous solutions

employing hydrometallurgical techniques.

In response to low concentrations of these elements in aqueous

solutions, the process proposed uses ion exchange techniques to

concentrate these elements, after that, them are separated by solvent

extraction and precipitating.

The Mo and U recovered was precipitate obtained Yellow Cake and

Calcium Molybdate.

The results demonstrate that it is technically feasible to recover

molybdenum and uranium from RTs acid solutions.

The efficiencies of the used processes, are possible to improve.

FLOW SHETT PROPOSED TO DEVELOP IN RTD


39/43

39

FLOW SHETT PROPOSED TO DEVELOP IN RTD

IX

Mo - U

Resin

Regeneration

Solvent

Extraction

U

Precipitation

Mo

Elution

Mo

Elution

U

Precipitation

U

Effluent CopperSX

H2SO4

Yellow - Cake

NH4OHNaCl

CaCl2* 2H2O

Calcium Molibdate

PLS Copper SX

HCl


ASOCIATION C U M PROJECT CCHEN CODELCO


40/43

40

ASOCIATION Cu U Mo : PROJECT CCHEN - CODELCO

CaMoO4 67% MoO3(NH4)2U2O7 82% U3O8

PRODUCTS OBTAINED IN PHASE I


(NH4)2U2O7 CaMoO4

PRODUCTS OBTAINED IN PHASE II

CONCLUSIONS


41/43


CONCLUSIONS

7% of the Chilean continental territory has been prospected.

The 93% of the country has not yet been prospected for uranium andthorium.

The future prospecting project in the country should be focused on

priority areas and to the development of activities included in the

project portfolio, corresponding to 179 projects.

Chile has declared a total of 3,728.8 tonnes of uranium as RAR + SAR I.

Two kinds of uranium concentrates were obtained: ammonium diuranate

and ammonium uranyl carbonate, commercial quality and nuclear purity.

At laboratory level, processes to obtain UO2and UF4 were developed.

Metallic uranium was obtained by magnesiotermia process.


42/43

Gracias..

Identificacin de Prospectos y Propuestas de Recuperacin de Uranio y Tierras Raras en Chile 41

Gracias...


43/43

Pedro A. Orrego Alfaro

M. Sc. Metal lurgical Engineer

Geology and Mining Section

Nuclear Materials Department

Chi lean Nuclear Energy Commission

Amuntegui N95

Santiago, Chi le

(562) 24702801

P.O.: 8340701

Email : [email protected]

www.cchen.gob.cl

Documents

Orrego Uranium Resources Chile