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U.S. Department of Energy
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PEROXYACETATE SEPARATION OF CERIUM(IV) FROM TRIVALENT RARE EARTHS IN PUREX PROCESS SOLUTIONS

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4840419
The precipitation of cerium from full-activity-level Purex process solutions, using sodium acetate and hydrogen peroxide, was investigated. The stability of the precipitate was found to depend on time, temperature, and activity level of the solution. However, either periodic additions of peroxide, or addition of a large excess of peroxide was found to yield adequate precipitation of the cerium. The process was applied batchwise to 200 gallons of rare earth crude prepared by the Purex plant. The resulting trivalent rare earth fraction contained about 70% of the initial pronaethium and only about 7% of the initial cerium and was of good quality for further purification by ion exchange. (auth)
Research Organization:
General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
DOE Contract Number:
AT(45-1)-1350
NSA Number:
NSA-16-018987
OSTI ID:
4840419
Report Number(s):
HW-73135
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English