Isolation of Rare Earth Elements. Chlorination-Volatilization Procedure

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1960 · Analytical Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac60158a031· OSTI ID:4202453

Zimmerman, J. B.; Ingles, J. C.

A total chlorination treatment of radioactive ores and concentrates with simultaneous volatilization at 900 deg C. eliminates most of the nonrare earth elements, including thorium and scandium. A subsequent ammonia precipitation removes the alkalies and alkaline earths and isolates the rare earths, including yttrium, in a pure concentrate suitable for weighing, spectrographic examination, or colorimetric determination. With materials consisting primarily of uranium and thorium compounds, preliminary extraction from nitric acid medium with a carbon tetrachloride solution of tributyl phosphate eliminates the bulk of these elements. This permits use of a larger sample and thus extends the range of the method. Over-all recoveries of the rare earth elements are 90% or better.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-14-007455
• OSTI ID: 4202453
• Journal Information: Analytical Chemistry, Journal Name: Analytical Chemistry Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 32; ISSN 0003-2700
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AMMONIA
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATION
COLOR
EVAPORATION
MEASURED VALUES
NITRIC ACID
ORES
PRECIPITATION
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
RADIOACTIVITY
RARE EARTHS
RECOVERY
SCANDIUM
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPECTRA
THORIUM
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM