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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Uranium-preextraction in zirconium/hafnium separations processs

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6776365

This patent describes an improvement in a process for recovering zirconium values from uranium containing zircon ore. The process comprising a fluidized bed carbochlorination of the zircon ore at 800{degrees}--1250{degrees} C., producing a relatively impure, hafnium-containing zirconium tetrachloride stream and by-product silicon tetrachloride, which silicon tetrachloride by-product is separated by differential condensation, and wherein uranium chloride is volatilized at the ore chlorinator temperature and follows as an impurity in the zirconium-hafnium tetrachloride stream, mixing the zirconium-hafnium tetrachloride with water to produce a zirconium-hafnium oxychloride solution, and removing iron impurities by liquid--liquid iron extraction with a methyl isobutyl ketone extractant.

Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
Patent Number(s):
US 4913884; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-268101A
OSTI ID:
6776365
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English