Selective Separation of Zirconium from Uranium in Carbonate Solutions by Ion Flotation

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
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 ϕ [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 37.4g/L. Mechanisms of separation are not affected by a variation of pH between 6.7 and 9.8, of temperature up to 60°C, and of carbonate concentration within the 15 to 60 g/L Na2CO3 range.