This document discusses using refractory sandstone ores and waste as alternative sources of uranium in Poland. It describes how uranium exploration was previously conducted in the region. Biotechnology offers possibilities to extract uranium as a byproduct from other rare element recovery processes. Studies show that organic compounds in shale and sandstone conglomerates are the main carriers of uranium in the region's deposits. The document also examines concentrations of various elements in the deposits and losses during processing. Microbial consortia have been isolated that are able to leach uranium from ores and wastes under neutral and acidic conditions, extracting up to 95% of uranium. "Green" biosynthesis using microbes is presented as an environmentally friendly method of extracting

1. Refractory sandstone ores and waste as
alternative source of uranium
Skłodowska Aleksandra, Bartosz Rewerski
Laboratory of Environmental Pollution, Faculty of Biology,
University of Warsaw, Poland
Chajduk Ewelina, Kalbarczyk Paweł, Bartosiewicz Iwona
Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Methods, Institute of Nuclear
Chemistry and Technology, Warsaw, Poland

2. • The uranium exploration and exploitation in the
South-West Poland (Lower Silesia District) was
carried out since 1925 when the first 9 Mg of
uranium ore were mined of which 690 mg of
radium was extracted

3. The Frame Program of Activities for Nuclear
Energy predicts the recognition of different way of
uranium source exploitation including the use of
biotechnology. Biotechnology opens the
possibility to obtain uranium as by-product in rare
element recovery process (eg. Co, Au, Re, Rh, Pt)
and positively affects the economical efficiency of
technology.

4. Biotechnology is an effective and environmental
friendly method of waste utilization and poor
refractory ores exploitation, well known since
1949 and successfully developed in many
countries e.g.: Spain, Bulgaria, USA, Sweden.

7. • In Poland uranium deposits hosted in sandstone
are located in the Lower Zechstein mineralization
in Fore-Sudetic Monocline, and in Intra-Sudetic
Monocline, in the Region of Wałbrzych and
Jelenia Góra especially in Grzmiąca deposit.

8. The studies revealed that in the Lower Zechstein
mineralization the main carriers of radioactive
elements (U and Th) are organic compounds
occurring in shale (Kupferschiefer) and shale in
Zechstein sandstone conglomerate, and that thorium
appears only in trace amounts. Maximum U contents in
shale are 163 ppm. The only exceptions are samples
with large secretion-type concentrations of thucholite;
in one of them U content was as high as 0.89%.

9. Lower Anhydrite
A B
Zechstein Limestone
Zechstein
deposit
Permian
Kupferschiefer
Cu-Ag
Zechstein Sandstone
Gold deposit
Zechstein Conglomerate
Rotliegendes
Sandstone
Conglomerates
Dominating geological profile of Fore-Sudetic Monocline deposits.
A. Drill core sample; B. Drill core sample at X-ray image (Ostrowski
and Sklodowska, 1996; Oszczepalski 1999; Piestrzynski et al., 2002).

10. Selected trace elements concentration in Fore-Sudetic Monocline copper
deposits (Bechtel et al., 2001; Bechtel et al., 2002)
Chemical element Concentration:
ppm
Mo 1 - 290
Co 8 - 485
U av. 60
ppb
Au <2 - 1750
Pt <5 - 883
Pd <4 - 564

11. Average losses of important accessory metals in mineral
processing of copper ore in KGHM PMSA.
(Henryk Karaś, Flotation waste utilisation - Project “Gilów” CBPM CUPRUM, Wrocław, November, 2002)
element losses in flotation element losses in
waste, % flotation waste,%
Ag 15,6 Cd 43,3
Zn 22,0 Au 44,7
As 22,1 Re 52,0
Pb 28,4 Se 45,5
Co 40,0 Ni 45,6
Mo 40,7 Pt 64,6
U = ???

12. Effect of colloidal sulphur and organic
matter flotation in the “Gilów tailing
pond
Ostrowski, M., Skłodowska, A. Small Bacteria and Great Copper, 1996

13. Mine dumps (gangue and ore) in
Grzmiąca. Average uranium
concentration in Grzmiąca deposit is
540mg/kg and total uranium content is
calculated at the level of 670 Mg.
Uranium concentration in wastes is
about 100 mg/kg. Uranium content in
other sandstone type deposits was
calculated at the level of 1100 Mg.

14. The sources of microorganisms:
• biofilms in adits
• mine waters
• fracture waters

15. A B
We have isolated and developed 25 microbial consortia able to oxidize iron contained in
the ore/waste under neutral and acidic conditions (Fe concentration in ore/waste is 1.8 -
3.4 %.) during realization of mentioned strategic project. Microbial consortia active in
neutral pH were able to acidification of culture and acidify ore/waste suspension from pH
=7.0 to < 3,0 in 14 days(A). The next four most active consortia were choose for further
experiments and they were able to grow in acidic condition in pH 1.5 - 2.5

16. Leaching efficiency - preliminary results:
• in neutral pH - up to 20% of uranium content in ore/waste
• in acidic conditions without any amendments – 70%
• in acidic conditions with sulphur up to 95% of uranium content in
ore/waste
• in acidic conditions with pyrite up to 95% of uranium content in
ore/waste
• sulphuric acid – 10 -60% of uranium content in ore/waste

17. The „green” synthesis strategy
Sodium borohydride
Sodium citrate
Ascorbic acid
Enzymes
Water and organic liquids Exopolysaccharides
Biosurfactants
(Zygmunt SADOWSKI, Wroclaw University of Technology, Chemical Engineering Department
April 2011, Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles)

18. Different nanosynthesis methods
Physical Chemical Biological
Ball milling Sol-gel processing in bacteria
Thermal evaporation Solution based synthesis in fungi
Lithography in water and nonpolar in east
Vapour phase solvent in algae
using plant extracts
Fungi, bacteria, yeasts, actionomycetes and
plants have inherent capacity to reduce metal
ions through their specific metabolic pathways.
(Zygmunt SADOWSKI, Wroclaw University of Technology, Chemical Engineering Department
April 2011, Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles)

19. Thank you for your attention