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Improvement of the purification of uranium using amines (in Japanese)

Journal Article · · Nippon Kogyo Kaishi, v. 89, no. 1022, pp. 255-258
OSTI ID:4314876

Ningyo-toge quarry has been engaged in research and development with a pilot plant since 1964, in order to develop smelting technique for dome stic uranium ore. The purification operation for urantum by means of solvent extraction and Amex hydrochloric acid transformation in PNC process is described. This method is conducted at first by bringing leached solution in contact with the organic solvent of 0.1 to 0.2 mol tri-n-octylamine in kerosene and 3 to 6% octanol to extract uranium in organic phase. Next, this organic solvent containing uranium is brought into contact with 8 mol HCl solution in counter- flow to transform uranyl sulfate complex anion to uranyl chloride complex anion: sub 2/UO/sub 2/Cl/sub 4/ + /sub 2/R/sub 2/NHCl + 3H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, and the impurity involved in the organic phase transfers to water phase. Finally, the transformed organic phase is brought into contact with water to dissolve the uranyl chloride in water phase as follows: (R/sub 3/NH)/sub 2/UO/sub 2/Cl/sub 4/ yields UO/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/ + 2R/su b 2/NHCl. The organic solvent separated from the uranyl is recycled. In case of the Amex HCl transformation in ADU production, a branch was formed on the way of PNC process, and H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ washing step was added to produce the purified ADU. After the extraction with amine, the uranium-containing solvent is brought into contact with 1/10 to 1/5 quantity of 0.1 mol H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ in counter-flow to make amount of Fe and others 30 to 40 ppM by two stage washing. In order to maintain uranium concentration in uranyl chloride solution as high as possible, it is desirable to operate so as to minimize the extraction of HCl ions in organic phase in the transformation step. (JA)

Research Organization:
Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Tokyo
NSA Number:
NSA-29-029101
OSTI ID:
4314876
Journal Information:
Nippon Kogyo Kaishi, v. 89, no. 1022, pp. 255-258, Journal Name: Nippon Kogyo Kaishi, v. 89, no. 1022, pp. 255-258; ISSN NIKKA
Country of Publication:
Japan
Language:
Japanese