N-butyl methyl amine as a new extracting reagent for uranium from monazite sulphuric acid leaching liquor

Sulphuric acid leaching of 97% monazite is subjected to hydrophobic / hydrophilic solvent extraction in one step to separate the high quality phosphoric acid produced from uranium residue. Uranium residue extracted by N-butyl methyl amine (1M) in kerosene at an aqueous / organic phase ratio 1:3. Optimum mixing time is 15 minutes while settling time is 5 minutes at room temperature. Uranium stripping is carried out by 8M HCL at an organic / aqueous 1:2 and a mixing time of 5 minutes at room temperature and settling time of 5 minutes. The obtained strip liquor is concentrated and uranium is precipitated as uranyl peroxide. Total process recovery is more than 90%.