Preparation of Pure Uranium, Thorium, and Yttrium Oxides from El-Garra El-Hamra Sulfate Leach Liquor

Abstract

The study deals with separation of uranium, thorium, and yttrium with highest possible purity from El-Garaa El-Hamara sulfate leach liquor. From the latter, almost complete extraction of uranium (99%) was achieved using Alamine 336 in kerosene at pH 0.8; it was followed by selective precipitation of thorium as thorium peroxide at pH 1.9 using 30% H2O2. Primene JM-T in kerosene separates selectively pure yttrium from the prepared RE cake at pH 1.5. A flowsheet for the preparation of pure oxides of U, Th, and Y was proposed.

Topics & Concepts