Mobil Oil Corporation

Edward T Habib, Jr

Hartley Owen

Paul B Venuto

Thomas C Vogt, Jr

Process for the in-situ leaching of uranium employing an alkaline lixiviant and an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite as an oxidizing agent. The use of the hypochlorite oxidant results in significantly higher uranium recoveries and leaching rates than those attained by the use of conventional oxidants. The invention is particularly suitable for use in subterranean deposits in which the uranium mineral is associated with carbonaceous material which retards access to the uranium by the lixiviant.

Process for the in-situ leaching of uranium

Process for the in-situ leaching of uranium from a subterranean ore deposit employing a lixiviant containing a carbonate leaching agent and an oxidizing agent. The lixiviant is heated to a temperature of at least 110.degree. F. prior to injection into the subterranean ore deposit. The use of a heated lixiviant provides for a substantially greater ultimate uranium recovery than that attained through the use of a lixiviant injected at ambient temperature conditions. The process may be carried out in several stages. In the first stage, a relatively low temperature lixiviant is injected. This is followed by a second stage in which the lixiviant is heated to an elevated temperature and then injected into the deposit. The invention is particularly applicable for use in subterranean deposits which contain uranium associated with carbonaceous material.

Process for in-situ leaching of uranium

Process for the in-situ leaching of uranium from a subterranean ore deposit comprising introducing into the deposit an aqueous lixiviant having a pH of at least 6.0 and containing an alkali metal sulfate leaching agent. The alkali metal sulfate may be employed in combination with an alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate with the sulfate comprising the predominant leaching agent. The lixiviant may be at a pH of at least 7.5 and contain an alkali metal sulfate leaching agent and a hypochlorite oxidizing agent.

In-situ leaching of uranium

A process is provided for high selectivity transalkylation of alkylaromatic hydrocarbon compounds of from 7 to 10 carbon atoms which comprises contacting said alkylaromatic hydrocarbon compounds with a transalkylating agent in the presence of a porous acid-active zeolite catalyst having a fluid activity index of at least about 18 in a fluidized catalyst system absent added hydrogen at a temperature of from about 300.degree. F to about 1200.degree. F, pressure of from about 0 psig to about 200 psig and a catalyst residence time of from about 0.01 second to about 300 seconds.

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Richardson, TX, United States of America

Edward T Habib, Jr