Selective separation of zirconium from uranium in carbonate solutions by ion flotation

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Separation Science and Technology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/01496399008050360· OSTI ID:6128312

Jdid, E A; Blazy, P ^[1]; Mahamadou, A ^[2]; Durand, R ^[3]

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1. Centre de Recherche sur La Valorisation des Minerais, Vandoeuvre (France)
2. Somair B.P., Artlit (Niger)
3. Uranium Pechiney Direction Recherche and Development, Paris (France)

Separation of zirconium from uranium in carbonate media was undertaken by ion flotation. The collector chosen was octylhydroxamic acid (HOHX). It gave a well-flocculated precipitate with zirconium which floated in less than 5 min. The stoichiometry of the reaction is HOHX/Zr = 3.9/1, and the selectivity in the presence of uranium is very high. In fact, for a ratio {Phi} = (HOHX),M/(Zr),M, which is just stoichiometric and is close to 4, the zirconium removal rate reaches 99%, even in industrial media. The loss of uranium is only 0.5% although its concentration is 37.4 g/L. Mechanisms of separation are not affected by a variation of pH between 6.7 and 9.8, of temperature up to 60{degree}C, and of carbonate concentration within the 15 to 60 g/L Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} range.

• OSTI ID: 6128312
• Journal Information: Separation Science and Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Separation Science and Technology; (USA) Vol. 25:6; ISSN SSTED; ISSN 0149-6395
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105 -- Separation Procedures
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOTATION
INFORMATION
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM ORES
ZIRCONIUM