RECOVERY OF PLUTONIUM FROM SLAG AND CRUCIBLE
Slag and crucible can be dissolved satisfactorily by the Los Alamos method of total dissolution with nitric acid in the presence of aluminum nitrate. Extraction of 99% of the plutonium from total dissolution salted with aluminum nitrate was achieved by three successive contactings with 1/10 volumes of 30% TBp- AMSCO 125-90W. The TBPAMSCO phases contacted with leaching solutions salted with calcium nitrate must be scrubbed to remove calcium. Stripping with three 1/10 volumes of 0.1M hydroxylamine sulfate removes 99% of the plutonium from the 30% TBPAMSCO, initially O.lM HNO/sub 3/. Plutonium(III) oxalate, (which could be blended into 234-5 operations) can be precipitated from the aqueous strip solution. It is chemically feasible to recycle slag and crucible solution to the Redox IIA column in amounts up to at least lO% of IIAF by volume. It is also chemically feasible to recycle nitric acid solution of slag crucible obtained in the presence of aluminum nitrate to the Product Precipitation step of the Second Decontamination Cycle of the Bismuth Phosphate Process. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-52
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-018123
- OSTI ID:
- 4015502
- Report Number(s):
- HW-20817(Del.)
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Decl. with deletions Mar. 7, 1960. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
HB-Line Dissolution of Glovebox Floor Sweepings
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION, CHEMICAL DEVELOPMENT SECTION C PROGRESS REPORT FOR AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1960