A Step into the Profession
Temirlan is a Machine Operator in Workshop ‘B’ of Uranium Operations. He works in the dissolution section of the hydrometallurgy department. Put simply, his job is to convert the chemical concentrate of natural uranium from a solid phase into a liquid – uranyl nitrate. The required quantities of components are calculated in accordance with the specified parameters; the raw materials are then loaded and nitric acid and a mother liquor are added.
After dissolution, the necessary process operations and filtration are carried out, and the resulting product is passed further along the production line. Following this operation, the uranium emerges as a solution of uranyl nitrate, serving as the feed solution for the next process stage – extraction/re-extraction. This ensures that the feed solution is purified of impurities to nuclear-grade purity.
The Plant Operator monitors the measurement data, the mass of uranium, acidity and other parameters, records the values in tables and calculates the required parameters.
‘To calculate and account for everything correctly, you need to be attentive,’ says Temirlan. – Every figure is important here: the mass of uranium, acidity, the quantity of components added. There is no room for error because the entire subsequent process depends on the accuracy of the calculations.
