SEPARATION PROCESS FOR THORIUM SALTS

Patent · Sat Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1957

OSTI ID:4307734

Bridger, G L; Whatley, M E; Shaw, K G

A process is described for the separation of uranium, thorium, and rare earths extracted from monazite by digesting with sulfuric acid. By carefully increasing the pH of the solution, stepwise, over the range 0.8 to 5.5, a series of selective precipitations will be achieved, with the thorium values coming out at lower pH, the rare earths at intermediate pH and the uranium last. Some mixed precipitates will be obtained, and these may be treated by dissolving in HNO/sub 3/ and contacting with dibutyl phosphate, whereby thorium or uranium are taken up by the organic phase while the rare earths preferentially remain in the aqueous solution.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-12-006989
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2815262
• OSTI ID: 4307734
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BUTYL PHOSPHATES
MONAZITES
NITRIC ACID
PATENT
PATENTS
PRECIPITATION
RARE EARTHS
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SULFURIC ACID
THORIUM
URANIUM
WATER