Kinetic reactive transport modelling of column tests for uranium In Situ Recovery (ISR) mining

Abstract : Numerical modelling of the interaction between solution and rock is examined in order to improve the management of U In Situ Recovery (ISR) mining. Two ‘classical’ types of leaching experiments were performed: (1) tests in batch reactors; and (2) extraction in flow-through columns. A comprehensive interpretation of the complete leaching test results (mineralogy of the samples and chemical analysis of leachates) led to the development of a conceptual model with reasonable assumptions about dissolution and precipitation reactions during the acid leach of the columns. This conceptual model was tested and validated by numerical modelling of the two types of laboratory experiments. Batch experiments were simulated with the geochemical code CHESS in order to model the leachate solutions and to calibrate the geochemical reaction paths and their kinetic laws. The geochemical models with kinetics successfully simulated the trend of leachate’ chemistry in the two types of experimental tests (batch and column). They resulted in a proposal of a 1D hydrogeochemical transport model of the ISR process at laboratory-scale. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis conducted on the 1D-calibrated model made it possible (1) to determine factors controlling leaching reactions; and (2) to quantify their respective influence on the uranium recovery in terms of acid consumption and leachate volume to treat in the plant.