Dissolution and recovery of beryllium from beryl using a novel wet process with microwave heating. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nakano, Suguru; Kim, Jae-Hwan; Hwang, Taehyun; Kasada, Ryuta; Nakamichi, Masaru
• Is Part Of: Nuclear materials and energy. Volume 30(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Beryl ore -- New wet process -- Beryllium solubility -- Chemical reaction -- Microwave heating; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear fuels -- Periodicals; Nuclear reactors -- Materials -- Periodicals; Radioactive substances -- Periodicals; 621.4833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nme.2022.101113
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-1791

Abstract

Highlights: Because of its very stable crystals, beryl cannot be dissolved directly in acid. A new wet refining process of beryl could reduce economic and environmental problems. At low temperature, zeolite which is more reactive with acid than beryl, was formed. Recovery flow of Be compounds from beryl can be established. Abstract: Because a large amount of beryllium is loaded into fusion reactors as a neutron multiplier, it is important to stably secure the beryllium resource, i.e., beryl ore (Be3 Al2 Si6 O18 ), in order to realize fusion energy. The conventional method for extracting beryllium from beryl involves high-temperature processing steps, which may increase the cost and environmental risk. In view of this, a new wet process using microwaves at significantly lower temperatures was proposed. This study investigated the factors that enable the new wet process to achieve lower temperatures compared to the conventional method, and confirmed through tests that a chemical reaction occurs between beryl and NaOH at approximately 200 °C during the pretreatment process. It was found that this chemical reaction plays an important role in reducing the temperature of the process. The separation tests were performed to separate Al and Si from beryl minerals using this wet process, and the optimum conditions for each separation process were determined. Beryllium oxide and beryllium hydroxide were successfully recovered from the solution after Al and Si separation.