Strengthening Measures for Solid–Liquid Separation on the Surface of In Situ Leaching of Uranium

In situ leaching (ISL) of uranium faces challenges in solid–liquid separation of pregnant leaching solution, with conventional bag filters showing suboptimal performance. This study investigates wellbore and ore-bearing layer clogging in neutral ISL uranium mining, characterizing particle size distribution in the leaching solution. Results show that leaching solution particles consist mainly of clay and silt-grade debris (<200 μm). A novel hybrid separation system integrating an optimized hydro cyclone with a bag filter was developed using theoretical fluid mechanics and CFD simulations. The optimized hydro cyclone with a novel swirl chamber and conical inverted wire mesh collector achieves complete separation of particles >60 μm and 99.9% efficiency for particles >50 μm. The hybrid system significantly reduces operating pressure and filter bag replacement frequency from three times to once weekly, mitigating ore-bearing layer clogging. This research provides insights into particle migration mechanisms and offers an efficient solid–liquid separation solution for uranium mining operations.