Ion exchange separation of gram quantities of americium from a kilogram of lanthanum

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Abstract
The separation of 4.5 g. of americium from approximately a kilogram of light rare earths (primarily lanthanum) was achieved on a pilot plant scale by chromatographic displacement of the mixture from Dowex‐50 resin with 0.1% ammonium citrate at pH 8 into hydrogen‐form Dowex‐50. The americium collected into a narrow band and was eluted free from lanthanum but contained an equal weight of cerium. A 6‐ and a 2‐in.‐diam. column were used in tandem. Use of a final column with a much smaller diameter would have permitted a cleaner separation from cerium, but this was left for a laboratory‐scale separation by a different process. Precipitation, which was observed in the columns during the first runs, was later avoided entriely by use of high flow rates both initially and during the transfer between columns. No adverse effects were noted from ∼15 curies of alpha activity.

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