RADIUM CONTROL IN URANIUM MINING WITH A SELECTIVE COMPLEXER

Radium is often encountered in Uranium mining applications where there are concerns for waste water discharge. Radium precipitation has been used but requires large ponds for sediment collection. An ion exchange resin was introduced by Dow in the early 1980's that selectively removed radium designated DOWEX RSC. It has a high loading capacity fro radium and yields a small volume of waste for disposal. Since that time, DOWEX RSC has been installed to remove radium from drinking water.

This talk will provide a review of radium selective ion exchange resins as they have been evaluated by the mining industry and provide an update on these resins as they are used to treat drinking water.