Solvent Extraction at Rum Jungle

Consideration was given to the.applicab on of a solvent extraction circuit to be'included in the process'for the-recovery of a high grade product from.:-the Rum Jungle Creek.South uranium ore body.The economics of two alternative processes, firstly the Eluex process which uses an ion exchange process followed by solvent extraction.-of a.high grade sulphuric acid eluate, and secondly a process using direct solvent' extractioh of pregnant leach liquor, were studied. There was a small cost advantage favouring the Eluex process but when other factors were considered, the installation of a direct solvent extraction process appeared the better long term investment. A solvent extraction plant was installed at Rum Jungle in 1962.