What is the chemical process called to extract uranium from ore by dissolving it?

What is the chemical process called to extract uranium from ore by dissolving it?

• A. Leaching
• B. Filtration
• C. Distillation
• D. Calcination

Answer: (A)

Leaching is the chemical process of dissolving a soluble component from solid ore using a solvent, typically water with an acid or carbonate, to form a liquid that contains the dissolved uranium. This step enables the metal to be recovered later by precipitation or solvent extraction. Filtration would only separate solids from liquids after leaching; distillation relies on vaporization to separate components and isn’t how uranium is dissolved from ore; calcination uses heat to drive off volatile components or convert ore forms before dissolution, not the dissolution itself. In uranium processing, leaching with acids or carbonate solutions dissolves uranium compounds so the metal can be treated in subsequent recovery steps.

Leaching is the chemical process of dissolving a soluble component from solid ore using a solvent, typically water with an acid or carbonate, to form a liquid that contains the dissolved uranium. This step enables the metal to be recovered later by precipitation or solvent extraction. Filtration would only separate solids from liquids after leaching; distillation relies on vaporization to separate components and isn’t how uranium is dissolved from ore; calcination uses heat to drive off volatile components or convert ore forms before dissolution, not the dissolution itself. In uranium processing, leaching with acids or carbonate solutions dissolves uranium compounds so the metal can be treated in subsequent recovery steps.