Uranyl sulfate describes a family of
inorganic compounds with the formula UO2SO4(H2O)n. These salts consist of
sulfate, the
uranyl ion, and water. They are lemon-yellow solids. Uranyl sulfates are intermediates in some extraction methods used for uranium ores.[1] These compounds can also take the form of an anhydrous salt.
Structure
The structure of UO2(SO4)(H2O)3.5 is illustrative of the uranyl sulfates. The trans-UO22+ centers are encased in a pentagonal bipyramidal coordination sphere. In the pentagonal plane are five oxygen ligands derived from sulfate and aquo ligands. The compound is a coordination polymer.[2]
The
acid process of milling uranium ores involves precipitating uranyl sulfate from the pregnant
leaching solution to produce the semi-refined product referred to as
yellowcake.[3]
^Zalkin, Allan; Ruben, Helena; Templeton, David H. (1978). "Structure of a New Uranyl Sulfate Hydrate α-2UO2SO4.7H2O". Inorganic Chemistry. 17 (12): 3701–3702.
doi:
10.1021/ic50190a075.
^"Metallurgy". MQes Uranium Inc. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
^Betke, Ulf; Wickleder, Mathias S. (2012). "Oleum and Sulfuric Acid as Reaction Media: The Actinide Examples UO2(S2O7)-lt (Low temperature), UO2(S2O7)-ht (High temperature), UO2(HSO4)2, An(SO4)2 (An = Th, U), Th4(HSO4)2(SO4)7 and Th(HSO4)2(SO4)". European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. 2012 (2): 306–317.
doi:
10.1002/ejic.201100975.