Uranium, a heavy metal essential for global nuclear energy production, is extracted through leaching tanks that separate the element from ore and bring it to the surface. Two of the world’s longest-operating uranium processing facilities, Ranger in Northern Australia and Rossing in Namibia, have been mining uranium for decades. However, recent incidents involving leaks caused by faulty tank linings and corrosion have raised serious concerns about the safety and sustainability of these aging facilities.
In December, the Ranger uranium-processing plant in Australia suffered a major spill when over 1 million liters of liquid uranium leaked from a three-story steel leaching tank. The incident was traced back to a failed lining that led to severe corrosion of the tank walls. This event followed a similar leak just days earlier at Rio Tinto’s Rossing mine in Namibia, highlighting a growing pattern of infrastructure failure.
At the Ranger site, a 1450-cubic-meter leaching tank developed a hole, resulting in extensive wall corrosion and eventual collapse. The collapse damaged a nearby crane and triggered further inspections, which revealed that one of the six tanks showed similar signs of corrosion. Experts attribute the issue to a combination of material degradation and operational oversight. With the facility well past its 30-year design life, the risk of future failures is increasing, raising alarms among environmental and safety regulators.
Corrosion is a widespread challenge for steel tanks across industries. It's not a matter of "if" but "when" it will occur. Fortunately, solutions like HJ3’s CarbonSeal carbon fiber technology can prevent such failures. Recently, a geothermal power plant with severe corrosion on its primary clarifier and demister tanks turned to HJ3 for a long-term repair solution.
The clarifier, standing 43 feet tall with a 125-foot diameter, had suffered significant steel loss due to corrosion, particularly on the sidewalls, upper ring, and dome. To restore structural integrity, four key areas were repaired: a wall patch, the connection between the tank wall and dome, the dome roof itself, and a 36-inch overflow pipe. The process involved thorough abrasive blasting, priming, and the application of a high-modulus paste before installing CarbonSeal carbon fiber. A chemical-resistant topcoat was then applied to ensure long-term protection.
The CarbonSeal system successfully provided the necessary 20-psi hoop strength to the vessel, offering a durable and cost-effective alternative to full replacement. HJ3 has since reinforced four clarifiers, two demisters, and one rock muffler for the same client, saving them 80% in replacement costs. In addition, the project contributed to significant environmental benefits—preventing 602 tons of steel from being discarded and avoiding 1,183 tons of CO2 emissions and 36 million gallons of water use.
If you're facing corrosion or structural issues with your steel tanks and are looking for a reliable, sustainable repair solution, consider HJ3’s CarbonSeal reinforcement systems. Contact HJ3 today to learn more about how we can help protect your critical infrastructure.
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