Codelco begins producing uranium mine experimentally in Radomiro Tomic A plant of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission was put into operation and began mineral produce this energy in a pilot scheme to assess its commercial viability. With the end of the Cold War, nuclear power plants began to procure the U.S. military stocks and Russia, an offer that is ending. The investment is 1,300 million dollars.
Zanelli report, the committee of scientists who studied the nuclear option during the previous government, said it clearly: "Given the complex national and global energy scenario, it is necessary to position the security of electricity supply as a strategic national goal to achieve higher levels of development. In the case of Chile, this requires greater autonomy in energy supply, which is achieved through diversification, which play a relevant role NCRE, nuclear energy and energy efficiency. "
these lines and also in the commercial possibilities, the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission (CCHEN) and Codelco develop an ambitious program to produce uranium in Chile. The information was disclosed to the journal Professional Copper by engineer Gonzalo Torres, head of the Department of Nuclear Materials CCHEN, who is in charge of the project. Torres was executive director of the institution from 1997 to 2001 and Chief Scientist at the Permanent Mission of Chile to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The specialist explained that the agreement came "in the interest of Codelco Norte to recover other metals apart from copper, as byproducts. This collaboration, "he says dates back to late in the '70s, when in 1979 she was received in Chuquicamata an experimental separation of uranium. Until 80 CCHEN exploration program deployed a radioactive resources in the country, and among them were evaluated the presence of uranium associated with copper. In many areas where uranium anomalies were detected, was associated with copper. "
Torres says the project aims to "explore the technical potential of separating uranium in some forms of presentation of the mineral, either in the heap leach copper (PLS) and in gravel or in mines. An agreement was signed, the areas were divided in geology, metallurgy and chemical analysis, "he says. Yellow Cake
The first stage of this chemical process metallurgy, Torres emphasizes, "was positive and there was a laboratory process optimal hydrometallurgical separation of uranium. This began in 2008 and ended in 2009. Completed this phase, which is complemented by chemical analysis of that solution to examine the presence of initial uranium, then comes the process of uranium mining. Now moved into a second phase in the metallurgy. This gives rise to a scaling a pilot. " Thus, the CCHEN moved its plant equipment to the mine Lo Aguirre Radomiro Tomic (RT).
"The main objective of this plant-specific information is what proportion of the presence of uranium in the currents of the PLS Radomiro Tomic and determine the parameters of separation," he says.
Torres said there validating the separation process and efficiency, then measure and evaluate an industrial scale from the standpoint of the technical-economic feasibility of going to a larger scale, he says.
"This second phase will operate ten months. Is funded through a contribution of U.S. $ 1,300 million Codelco. We provide the technical infrastructure and expertise, "he says.
"The plant consists of a battery cell solvent extraction and ion exchange column, reservoir, ponds and collection of fluid handling and finally where we receive a deposit of uranium oxide, which is a dry powder, yellow, in the jargon is called "Yellow Cake". We are soon to start getting a few kilos of Yellow Cake in a short time, in about a month and get some kilos of material, "he said.
To be profitable for Codelco and any company in the world, the exploitation of uranium must be about a hundred tons.
"Uranium is alone or in combination with other minerals. In Chile is not only linked to copper but there are other geological formations without copper, rare earths. Is diverse as the presence of uranium. We believe that there may be a specific mining uranium, "poses.
Chile hundred places where uranium
The CCHEN did in the '70s "an exploration of a small part of the territory. Then realized around 100 prospects interesting for uranium. It was a basic survey, which covered about 7% of the territory, a letter was forecast, which realizes various locations throughout Chile, not only in the north but also in central and south, where there presence of uranium. In Chile there is uranium, we must explore and quantify and assess their potential removal from the economic point of view. "
"The world today consumes about 68 thousand tons per year of uranium and intensive growth is projected over the next 20 years. It must be said that nuclear power generation, fuel price is very low in cost. For that reason we can not say that the higher price uranium, higher prices for electricity. Fuel represents a small percentage, not exceeding 15% in electricity generation, unlike other fuels. This aroused interest everywhere and therefore global action to encourage the exploration of uranium, "he says.
"nuclear power reactors in the world have fed uranium, which comes from fields in operation in a few countries in the world: Canada, Australia, Gabon and Russia are major producers of uranium. Then along with the existing production, also re-destination of uranium from U.S. military arsenals and Russia. These stocks are military running out and demand has begun to grow, both by existing reactors, as new parts of the world, "he said.
"On average a nuclear power plant consumes about 80 to 100 tons of uranium a year. Argentine plants are in that range. A country with 300 thousand tons of uranium has to supply a strong nuclear program for over 100 years. We estimate that tens of thousands of tons of uranium, but this checking is needed. We speculate that uranium resources are more than enough in Chile to support a nuclear program with several plants. A nuclear program is held in one central one. "
nuclear fuel cycle
Stage 1. Uranium mining. Extraction and separation of mineral mining under conventional procedures.
Step 2. Concentration. Production of concentrated natural uranium ore conversion in uranate ammonium (Yellow Cake).
Stage 3. Conversion and enrichment: at this stage uranium concentrate is purified and converted into uranium hexafluoride. Then this product is subjected to an enrichment process to increase production. The result is enriched uranium oxide.
Stage 4. Manufacture of fuel elements. At this stage the uranium oxide is treated to obtain ceramic fuel pellets, which are placed in bars, then they are placed in a frame that contains a given number of such bars. This final structure is called "the fuel."
Stage 5. Use of nuclear fuel: The fuel elements are introduced into the reactor core to generate nuclear fission. Once the life of a fuel has stopped, they are stored temporarily in the same facilities that house the reactor.
Stage 6. Storage of waste: Waste produced are conditioned to become a solid mass, stable and durable. Then placed in containers specially designed to withstand storage for decades or hundreds of years.
From: www.radio.uchile.cl
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