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U.S. Department of Energy
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Recovery of Am-Cm from high-activity waste concentrate by in-canyon-tank precipitation as oxalates

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5201212
Savannah River Laboratory and Savannah River Plant have been separating actinides for more than 25 years. Work continues to upgrade processes and to initiate new processes. This report summarizes work on a precipitation process to separate kg amounts of Am and Cm from hundreds of kilograms of NaNO/sub 3/ and Al(NO/sub 3/)/sub 3/. The developed process includes formic acid denitration of the Am-Cm bearing streams for acid adjustment; oxalate precipitation of the Am-Cm; and Mn/sup +2/ catalyzed oxidation of oxalate in both the decanted supernate and the precipitated actinides. The new process generates one fourth the radioactive waste as the solvent extraction process which it replaced, and produces a cleaner feed solution for downstream processing to separate the Am and Cm before conversion to their respective oxides.
Research Organization:
Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-76SR00001
OSTI ID:
5201212
Report Number(s):
DP-MS-80-35; CONF-800814-5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English