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Abstract

A continuous ion exchange system and method for recovering uranium from a pregnant liquor solution wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) treating the pregnant liquor solution (16) with a membrane (28) to produce: i) a leach permeate solution (30) at least partially depleted of uranium and carbonate and ii) a leach concentrate solution (30′) having a relatively higher concentration of uranium and carbonate and which is at least partially depleted of chloride; (b) passing the leach concentrate stream (30′) through an ion exchange bed to load uranium onto a strong base anion exchange resin and produce an untreated barren (18) solution depleted of uranium, (c) passing an eluant solution (20) comprising bicarbonate through the loaded ion exchange bed to strip uranium from the strong base anion exchange resin and produce an eluate (22) comprising uranium and bicarbonate, (d) precipitating uranium (24) from the eluate (22) to produce a residual eluant solution (26) depleted of uranium, and (e) repeating steps (a)-(d).

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First Claim