Rapid and automated separation of uranium ore concentrates for trace element analysis by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Manard, Benjamin T.; Bostick, Debra A.; Metzger, Shalina C.; Ticknor, Brian W.; Zirakparvar, N. Alex; Rogers, Kayron T.; Hexel, Cole R.

doi:10.1016/j.sab.2021.106097

Rapid and automated separation of uranium ore concentrates for trace element analysis by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

Journal Article · Tue Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2021.106097· OSTI ID:1775226

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Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

The present study documents an automated approach to performing elemental analysis on a large group uranium ore concentrate (UOC) samples. In this work, 17 UOC samples, 2 quality control samples, and 26 process blanks were purified sequentially through a single 500 μL Uranium and TEtra Valent Actinides (UTEVA®) column. For each sample, the trace elemental impurities were separated from its dissolved uranium matrix on the UTEVA column and collected for analysis by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy / triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-OES/TQMS). The UTEVA column was subsequently regenerated prior to separation of the following sample. The column was efficiently regenerated, for each UOC, even after processing ~50 mg of uranium, cumulatively. The validity of the method was established by determining the trace impurities of two quality control uranium reference samples (CRM 124–1 and CUP-2). The current trace element measurements from the 17 UOC samples were compared to previously reported values from an interlaboratory comparison exercise, when available. The methodology employed here produces trace elemental analysis with excellent correlation to the previously reported data for many of the elements / samples, particularly when viewed through the context of existing geochemical comparisons tools (e.g. chondrite normalized variation plots).

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1775226

Journal Information:: Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy, Journal Name: Spectrochimica Acta. Part B, Atomic Spectroscopy Vol. 179; ISSN 0584-8547

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Automated separation
ICP-MS
ICP-OES
Triple quadrupole
Uranium ore concentrate

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