Radium removal from Radium removal from

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 78, No. 883, 1985

LA. MELIS, Melis Consulting Engineers Ltd. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

A laboratory test program was initiated by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources as part of the National Uranium Tailings Program to investigate the applicability of a radium-selective ion exchange complexer for removing radium from Canadian uranium mining effluents. The test program was carried out by Melis Consulting Engineers Ltd. under contract to the Department of Supply and Services using the Saskatchewan Research Council facilities located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The results of this work showed the ion exchange complexer, Dowex XFS 43230.00, to be efficient in removing radium from contaminated water of uranium mining operations with the ultimate loading capacity of the resin on one type of water treated being determined as approximately 1,600 Bq/cm3 of new resin. Although this resin has potential application for treatment of effluent streams in uranium operations it has been identified that the resin efficiency and capacity is directly related to the chemistry of the water being treated and site-specific testwork is required in order to establish reliable design data for full-scale operations.

Keywords: Metallurgy, Uranium, Uranium tailings, Radium, Ion exchange, Tailings disposal, Waste treatment, Radium-selective complexer, Radon daughters, Radiation.