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Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor

Year 2021, Volume: 164 Issue: 164, 1 - 10, 15.04.2021
https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316

Abstract

This paper investigates a method for separation and purification of thorium from leach liquors containing rare-earth elements (REE). Iron, which causes problems in the stage of thorium extracting, was first removed by using Adogen 464 solvent. Thorium was extracted with 30% D2EHPA-in kerosene with 1/3 organic/aqueous ratio and stoichiometry of the thorium-D2EHPA complex was calculated as 1:2.6 from slope analysis. After the extraction, LREE and HREE were scrubbed from the extracted organic with 0.25 M H₂SO₄ and 6 M HCl, respectively. Thorium oxalate was precipitated by oxalic acid and calcined at 1,050 °C. It was, after calcination, determined that purity of thorium oxide is 99.23%, based on the ICP-OES analysis.

Thanks

This study was supported by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration within the scope of Scientific Research Projects. Authors would like to thank to Mehmet Ergin from Cytec Inc. Turkey for his advices about the solvents and Ufuk Kibar, Nihal Görmüş and Gökçe Gürtekin from General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration for their contributions with SEM-EDS analyses and images.

References

  • Ali, A.M.I., El-Nadi, Y.A., Daoud, J.A., Aly, H.F. 2007. Recovery of thorium (IV) from leached monazite solutions using counter-current extraction. International Journal of Mineral Processing 81, 217–223.
  • Aybers, M.T. 1998. Kinetic study of the thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate dihydrate. Journal of Nuclear Materials 252, 28–33.
  • Bahri, C.N.A.C.Z., Ismail, A.F., Majid, A.A., Ruf, M.I.F.M., Al-Areqi, W.M. 2018. Extraction and purification of thorium oxide (ThO2) from monazite mineral. Sains Malaysiana 47, 1873–1882.
  • Cox, M. 2004. Solvent Extraction in Hydrometallurgy, in: Solvent Extraction Principles and Practice, Revised and Expanded. CRC Press, 466–515.
  • D’Eye, R.W.M., Sellman, P.G. 1955. The thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate. Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry 1, 143–148.
  • Demol, J., Ho, E., Senanayake, G. 2018. Sulfuric acid baking and leaching of rare earth elements, thorium and phosphate from a monazite concentrate: Effect of bake temperature from 200 to 800 °C. Hydrometallurgy 179, 254–267.
  • Dinkar, A.K., Singh, S.K., Tripathi, S.C., Verma, R., Reddy, A.V.R. 2012. Studies on the Separation and Recovery of Thorium from Nitric Acid Medium using (2-ethyl hexyl) Phosphonic Acid, Mono (2-ethyl hexyl) Ester (PC88A)/N-Dodecane as Extractant System. Separation Science and Technology 47, 1748–1753.
  • Ditz, R., Sarbas, B., Schubert, P., Töpper, W. 1990. Thorium, Natural Occurrence, Minerals (Excluding Silicates), 8th ed, Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg.
  • Du, H.S., Wood, D.J., Elshani, S., Wai, C.M. 1993. Separation of thorium from lanthanides by solvent extraction with ionizable crown ethers. Talanta 40, 173–177.
  • Güneş, H., Obuz, H.E., Alkan, M. 2019. Selective Precipitation of Th and Rare-Earth Elements from HCl Leach Liquor, in: Minerals, Metals and Materials Series. Springer International Publishing, ss. 81–86.
  • Kaya, M., Bozkurt, V. 2003. Thorium as A Nuclear Fuel, içinde: 18th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey. ss. 572–578.
  • Li, D., Zuo, Y., Meng, S. 2004. Separation of thorium(IV) and extracting rare earths from sulfuric and phosphoric acid solutions by solvent extraction method. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 374, 431–433.
  • Mishra, R.K., Rout, P.C., Sarangi, K., Nathsarma, K.C. 2011. Solvent extraction of Fe(III) from the chloride leach liquor of low grade iron ore tailings using Aliquat 336. Hydrometallurgy 108, 93–99.
  • Nasab, M.E., Sam, A., Milani, S.A. 2011. Determination of optimum process conditions for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements by solvent extraction. Hydrometallurgy 106, 141–147.
  • Ritcey, G.M., Ashbrook, A.W. 1979. Solvent extraction: principles and applications to process metallurgy. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co.
  • Sahu, K.K., Das, R.P. 1997. Synergistic extraction of iron(III) at higher concentrations in D2EHPA- TBP mixed solvent systems. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B: Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science 28, 181–189.
  • Saji, J., Reddy, M.L.P. 2001. Liquid-liquid extraction separation of iron(III) from titania wastes using TBP-MIBK mixed solvent system. Hydrometallurgy 61, 81–87.
  • Salehuddin, A.H.J.M., Aziman, E.S., Bahri, C.N.A.C.Z., Affendi, M.A.R.A., Idris, W.M.R., Ismail, A.F. 2019. Effectiveness study of thorium extraction from hydrochloric acid using di (2-Ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D 2 EHPA). Sains Malaysiana 48, 419–424.
  • Wang, Y., Huang, C., Li, F., Dong, Y., Sun, X. 2017. Process for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements from radioactive waste residues using Cyanex® 572 as a new extractant. Hydrometallurgy 169, 158–164.
  • Yıldız, N., 2017. Uranyum Toryum. Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey, Ankara. Zhang, Y., Xu, Y., Huang, X., Long, Z., Cui, D., Hu, F. 2012. Study on thorium recovery from bastnaesite treatment process. Journal of Rare Earths 30, 374–377.
Year 2021, Volume: 164 Issue: 164, 1 - 10, 15.04.2021
https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316

Abstract

References

  • Ali, A.M.I., El-Nadi, Y.A., Daoud, J.A., Aly, H.F. 2007. Recovery of thorium (IV) from leached monazite solutions using counter-current extraction. International Journal of Mineral Processing 81, 217–223.
  • Aybers, M.T. 1998. Kinetic study of the thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate dihydrate. Journal of Nuclear Materials 252, 28–33.
  • Bahri, C.N.A.C.Z., Ismail, A.F., Majid, A.A., Ruf, M.I.F.M., Al-Areqi, W.M. 2018. Extraction and purification of thorium oxide (ThO2) from monazite mineral. Sains Malaysiana 47, 1873–1882.
  • Cox, M. 2004. Solvent Extraction in Hydrometallurgy, in: Solvent Extraction Principles and Practice, Revised and Expanded. CRC Press, 466–515.
  • D’Eye, R.W.M., Sellman, P.G. 1955. The thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate. Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry 1, 143–148.
  • Demol, J., Ho, E., Senanayake, G. 2018. Sulfuric acid baking and leaching of rare earth elements, thorium and phosphate from a monazite concentrate: Effect of bake temperature from 200 to 800 °C. Hydrometallurgy 179, 254–267.
  • Dinkar, A.K., Singh, S.K., Tripathi, S.C., Verma, R., Reddy, A.V.R. 2012. Studies on the Separation and Recovery of Thorium from Nitric Acid Medium using (2-ethyl hexyl) Phosphonic Acid, Mono (2-ethyl hexyl) Ester (PC88A)/N-Dodecane as Extractant System. Separation Science and Technology 47, 1748–1753.
  • Ditz, R., Sarbas, B., Schubert, P., Töpper, W. 1990. Thorium, Natural Occurrence, Minerals (Excluding Silicates), 8th ed, Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg.
  • Du, H.S., Wood, D.J., Elshani, S., Wai, C.M. 1993. Separation of thorium from lanthanides by solvent extraction with ionizable crown ethers. Talanta 40, 173–177.
  • Güneş, H., Obuz, H.E., Alkan, M. 2019. Selective Precipitation of Th and Rare-Earth Elements from HCl Leach Liquor, in: Minerals, Metals and Materials Series. Springer International Publishing, ss. 81–86.
  • Kaya, M., Bozkurt, V. 2003. Thorium as A Nuclear Fuel, içinde: 18th International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey. ss. 572–578.
  • Li, D., Zuo, Y., Meng, S. 2004. Separation of thorium(IV) and extracting rare earths from sulfuric and phosphoric acid solutions by solvent extraction method. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 374, 431–433.
  • Mishra, R.K., Rout, P.C., Sarangi, K., Nathsarma, K.C. 2011. Solvent extraction of Fe(III) from the chloride leach liquor of low grade iron ore tailings using Aliquat 336. Hydrometallurgy 108, 93–99.
  • Nasab, M.E., Sam, A., Milani, S.A. 2011. Determination of optimum process conditions for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements by solvent extraction. Hydrometallurgy 106, 141–147.
  • Ritcey, G.M., Ashbrook, A.W. 1979. Solvent extraction: principles and applications to process metallurgy. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co.
  • Sahu, K.K., Das, R.P. 1997. Synergistic extraction of iron(III) at higher concentrations in D2EHPA- TBP mixed solvent systems. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B: Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science 28, 181–189.
  • Saji, J., Reddy, M.L.P. 2001. Liquid-liquid extraction separation of iron(III) from titania wastes using TBP-MIBK mixed solvent system. Hydrometallurgy 61, 81–87.
  • Salehuddin, A.H.J.M., Aziman, E.S., Bahri, C.N.A.C.Z., Affendi, M.A.R.A., Idris, W.M.R., Ismail, A.F. 2019. Effectiveness study of thorium extraction from hydrochloric acid using di (2-Ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D 2 EHPA). Sains Malaysiana 48, 419–424.
  • Wang, Y., Huang, C., Li, F., Dong, Y., Sun, X. 2017. Process for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements from radioactive waste residues using Cyanex® 572 as a new extractant. Hydrometallurgy 169, 158–164.
  • Yıldız, N., 2017. Uranyum Toryum. Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey, Ankara. Zhang, Y., Xu, Y., Huang, X., Long, Z., Cui, D., Hu, F. 2012. Study on thorium recovery from bastnaesite treatment process. Journal of Rare Earths 30, 374–377.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Engineering
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Ayşe Erdem This is me 0000-0002-8736-1698

Haydar Güneş 0000-0002-4990-0662

Çiğdem Kara This is me 0000-0003-1152-3088

Hasan Akçay This is me 0000-0002-5608-8721

Akan Gülmez This is me 0000-0001-5731-6645

Zümrüt Alkan This is me 0000-0003-4038-5761

Publication Date April 15, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 164 Issue: 164

Cite

APA Erdem, A., Güneş, H., Kara, Ç., Akçay, H., et al. (2021). Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration, 164(164), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316
AMA Erdem A, Güneş H, Kara Ç, Akçay H, Gülmez A, Alkan Z. Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor. Bull.Min.Res.Exp. April 2021;164(164):1-10. doi:10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316
Chicago Erdem, Ayşe, Haydar Güneş, Çiğdem Kara, Hasan Akçay, Akan Gülmez, and Zümrüt Alkan. “Production of High Purity Thorium Oxide from Complex Ores Leach Liquor”. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration 164, no. 164 (April 2021): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316.
EndNote Erdem A, Güneş H, Kara Ç, Akçay H, Gülmez A, Alkan Z (April 1, 2021) Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration 164 164 1–10.
IEEE A. Erdem, H. Güneş, Ç. Kara, H. Akçay, A. Gülmez, and Z. Alkan, “Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor”, Bull.Min.Res.Exp., vol. 164, no. 164, pp. 1–10, 2021, doi: 10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316.
ISNAD Erdem, Ayşe et al. “Production of High Purity Thorium Oxide from Complex Ores Leach Liquor”. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration 164/164 (April 2021), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316.
JAMA Erdem A, Güneş H, Kara Ç, Akçay H, Gülmez A, Alkan Z. Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor. Bull.Min.Res.Exp. 2021;164:1–10.
MLA Erdem, Ayşe et al. “Production of High Purity Thorium Oxide from Complex Ores Leach Liquor”. Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration, vol. 164, no. 164, 2021, pp. 1-10, doi:10.19111/bulletinofmre.709316.
Vancouver Erdem A, Güneş H, Kara Ç, Akçay H, Gülmez A, Alkan Z. Production of high purity thorium oxide from complex ores leach liquor. Bull.Min.Res.Exp. 2021;164(164):1-10.

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