Dynamic Characteristics and Model for Centralization Reaction of Acidic Tailings From Heap Leaching of Uranium Ore

Centralization tests were carried out on acidic tailings from heap leaching of uranium ore by using CaO, NaOH and NH₄OH. The variations of pH with time were measured for the three centralization systems and the dynamic models for the systems were set up by regressing the measured data. The centralization process consists of the fast reaction phase representing the reaction between the centralization agent and the acid on the surface of the tailing’s particles and the slow diffusion-reaction phase representing the diffusion-reaction between the centralization agent and the acid within the tailing’s particles. The non-linear coupling and feedback function model for the diffusion-reaction of the centralization agent can reflect the process and mode of the centralization reaction. There is a non-linear oscillation in the variation of pH within the centralization systems. The dynamic model for the tailing’s centralization reaction can fit the pH variation within the centralization systems.