The University of Jordan :: Research Groups :: Uranium recovery from alkaline leach solutions...
Featured Publications

Uranium recovery from alkaline leach solutions of low‑grade Central Jordan uranium deposits utilizing Lewatit® TP‑107

Intensive exploration efforts have confirmed the presence of uranium as a low-grade surficial deposit in the Central Jordan

region. According to the Joint Ore Reserve Committee (JORC) compliance resource estimations, approximately 41,000 tons
of U3O8
with an average grade of 137 ppm are located in this region, presenting challenges for effective uranium mining.
This study evaluates the use of Lewatit® TP-107 resin for uranium recovery from the pregnant liquor solution produced by
the alkaline leach process employed by the Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO). Uranium adsorption and desorption
were examined through batch processes, considering various parameters such as initial pH, contact time, temperature,
adsorbent dosage, and initial uranium concentration. The maximum uranium adsorption capacity of Lewatit® TP-107 was
found to be approximately 67 mg of U/g of resin at a temperature of 50 °C. Adsorption isotherms were analyzed using both
the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°) ranged
from 27.58 to − 24.05 kJ/mol, the enthalpy change (ΔH°) was 18.03 kJ/mol, and the entropy change (ΔS°) was 141.23 J/
mol·K, indicating a spontaneous endothermic adsorption process. Kinetic analysis showed that the adsorption rate followed
a pseudo-second-order model, with a squared correlation coefficient (R2) close to unitary. After five consecutive cycles, the
resin maintained an efficiency of approximately 85%, similar to its initial performance, when using NaHCO3
as the eluting
solution.