Improved Eluex Process For Eluting Uranium From Ion Exchange Resins PDF Download

Two methods were tested for the quantitative separation of uranium from elemental impurities using commercially available resins. The sorption and elution behavior of uranium and the separation of it from a variety of other elements was studied. The first method utilized an anion exchange resin while the second method employed an extraction resin. The first method, the anion exchange of uranium (VI) in an acid chloride medium, was optimized and statistically tested for quantitative recovery of uranium. This procedure involve adsorption of uranium onto Bio-Rad AG 1X8 or MP-1 ion exchange resins in 8 M HCl, separation of uncomplexed or weakly complexed matrix ions with an 8 M HCl wash, and subsequent elution of uranium with 1 M HCl. Matrix ions more strongly adsorbed than uranium were left on the resin. Uranium recoveries with this procedure averaged greater than 99.9% with a standard deviation of 0.1%. In the second method, recovery of uranium on the extraction resin did not meet the criteria of this study and further examination was terminated.