Patent Number: 045281297
Section: claims

1. The method of treating acid leach uranium, radiological and toxic metal radon emitting waste selected from the class that consists of mill tailings, slimes and aqueous solutions to a dimensionally stable, substantially insoluble matrix that has a substantially lowered rate of randon emission, said method comprising the steps of: a. transforming said waste into a homogeneous aqueous slurry;  b. agitating said slurry and sequentially adding a crystalline clay having an open lattice thereto, said clay including sodium and hydrogen ions to which a substantial number of molecules of water are bound, said lattice absorbing soluble salts of said metals in said waste;  c. adding said clay and continuing said agitation until said slurry is of pasty consistency;  d. directing said slurry of pasty consistency to a confined space;  e. mixing calcium oxide with said pasty slurry in said confined space in a sufficient quantity to:  f. removing foreign material from said steam;  g. discharging said steam free of said foreign material from said confined space to the ambient atmosphere; and  h. removing said matrix from said confined space.  i. exposing said matrix to the air for carbon dioxide in the air to react with said matrix to form an envelope of limestone thereabout that serves as a barrier to lessen the rate of radon emission from said matrix.  i. exposing said matrix to carbon dioxide to transform at least a major portion thereof to limestone from which said oxides and hydroxides will not leach out when said matrix is exposed to water. 1. raise the pH of said slurry above 8; 2. The method as defined in claim 1 which includes the further step of: 3. The method as defined in claim 1 which includes the further step of: 4. The method as defined in claim 1 in which said waste was an alkali leach that was transformed to an acid leach by the addition of an acid thereto prior to said method being performed thereon.