Abstract:
Uranium−bearing coal deposits are an important unconventional uranium resource with abundant reserves in China, which has not been fully exploited for a long time. In order to realize the cooperative mining of coal and uranium in uranium−bearing coal deposits, we did an analysis of the occurrence characteristics of uranium−bearing coal deposits in China and the problems in the traditional mining method. We then proposed a fluidization synergetic mining technology for these deposits, and clarified the urgent problems that need to be solved in the research of new technology. Uranium−bearing coal deposits are widely distributed in China, mainly occurring in the coal measures of Carboniferous Permian, Cenozoic and Jurassic. The carrier coal reservoir of coal type uranium is mainly composed of low rank stone coal, lignite and long flame coal, and the uranium in coal is mainly organic. The ore body is characterized as small, poor and scattered, and the engineering geological conditions are generally complex. The traditional comprehensive utilization mode of mining − power generation − heating − uranium extraction has many problems, such as poor economic benefits, high tunneling rate, difficult selection of mining technology, difficult maintenance of surrounding rock, high risk and poor working environment. For this reason, the technologies of coal underground mining, in−situ leaching uranium mining and groundwater remediation were integrated, and the fluidization synergetic mining technology of uranium−bearing coal deposits was proposed, and the process system and process flow were constructed. In order to give consideration to the recovery rate of coal and uranium resources, the underground gasification temperature should be controlled below
1000 ℃, and acid leaching solution should be used to extract uranium. Taking the two basic types of underground gasification furnace_the most common U−type gasifier and the blind well gasifier as examples, the specific implementation process of the new process was described. Combined with the characteristics of the new process, 24 key indicators were selected from 5 aspects, such as geological structure, hydrogeology, ore body occurrence conditions, mineral characteristics, and mining technical conditions, and a preliminary evaluation indicator system framework of fluidization collaborative mining site selection was established. This technology enables the safe, efficient and environmentally friendly mining of uranium−bearing coal deposits, which is of great significance to alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand of natural uranium and promote the comprehensive utilization of resources.