12 June 15:00
Specialists from Gubkin University have developed a method for extracting iodine from formation waters, a by-product of oil and gas production that was not previously considered as a source of minerals. Yamal 1 writes about this.
The technology is based on a Russian-made synthetic resin, which makes it possible to extract iodine from brines without major modernization of existing production facilities. The process looks like this: produced water is treated with chlorine or sodium hypochlorite, converting iodine into a form convenient for extraction, and then passed through a polymer sorbent, which retains the valuable element.
The authors of the project emphasize that their method is more environmentally friendly than traditional methods that use organic solvents like benzene. In addition, all key components of the technology are produced domestically, reducing dependence on imports.
The development is especially relevant given the situation on the global iodine market. This element is necessary for medicine, microelectronics, the chemical industry and nuclear energy, but a significant part of Russia’s needs is still met by imports. Over the past five years, iodine prices have approximately quadrupled. If the technology proves its effectiveness on an industrial scale, the country's oil fields could also become sources of their own iodine.
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