Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Separation, purification and recovery of thorium from monazite leach liquors by counter-current extraction process

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Separation and purification of thorium from monazite leach liquors was investigated by counter current extraction process. The Primene JM-T (mixture of highly branched C16 to C22 tertiary alkyl primary amine isomers) was used as an extractant and kerosene as a diluent for the present investigation. Extraction isotherm was plotted at the condition: 0.1 mol/L Primene JM-T, A:O = 3:1, which predicted on requirement of 3 stages for quantitative extraction of thorium. A 99.9% extraction of thorium from the leach liquor was achieved at the optimum conditions leaving 0.1 mg/L of the metal in the raffinate phase. The predicted three counter current stripping stages from the stripping were validated using 0.5 mol/L HCl + 0.5 mol/L NH4Cl as the stripping agent. XRD analysis proved the high purity thorium oxalate precipitated and recovered from monazite.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hereijgers J, Oeteren NV, Denayer JFM, Breugelmans T, Malsche WD (2015) Multistage counter-current solvent extraction in a flat membrane Microcontactor. Chem Eng J 273:138–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Salehuddin AHJM, Ismail AF, Bahri CNACZ, Aziman ES (2019) Economic analysis of thorium extraction from monazite. Nucl Eng Technol 51(2):631–640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bahri CNACZ, Ismail AF, Majid AA, Ruf MIFM, Al-Areqi WM (2018) Extraction and purification of thorium oxide (ThO2) from monazite mineral. Sains Malaysiana 47(8):1873–1882

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Al-Areqi WM, Bahri CNACZ, Majid AA, Sarmani S (2017) Solvent extraction of thorium from rare earth elements in monazite thorium concentrate. Malays J Anal Sci 21(6):1250–1256

    Google Scholar 

  5. Amaral JCBS, Morais CA (2010) Thorium and uranium extraction from rare earth elements in monazite sulfuric acid liquor through solvent extraction. Miner Eng 23(6):498–503

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ali AMI, El-Nadi YA, Daoud JA, Aly HF (2007) Recovery of thorium(IV) from leached monazite solutions using counter-current extraction. Int J Miner Process 81(4):217–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Agrawal YK, Vora SB (2003) Selective Extraction and separation of thorium from monazite using n-phenylbenzo-18-crown-6-hydroxamic acid. Microchim Acta 142(4):255–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gupta B, Malik P, Deep A (2002) Extraction of uranium, thorium and lanthanides using Cyanex-923: their separations and recovery from monazite. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 251(3):451–456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Li R, Liu C, Zhao H, He H, Li Z, Li Q, Zhang L (2017) Di-1-methyl heptylmethylphosphonate (DMHMP): a promising extractant in Th-based fuel reprocessing. Sep Purif Technol 173:105–112

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Li R, Zhao H, Liu C, He S, Li Z, Li Q, Zhang L (2017) The recovery of uranium from irradiated thorium by extraction with di-1-methyl heptylmethylphosphonate (DMHMP)/n-dodecane. Sep Purif Technol 188:219–227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Biswas S, Rupawate VH, Hareendran KN, Roy SB (2013) Counter-current extraction and separation of U(VI) from a mixture of U(VI)–Th(IV)–Y(III) using tris-2-ethyl hexyl phosphate (TEHP). J Radioanal Nucl Chem 295(3):2243–2248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Verma PK, Kumari N, Prabhu DR, Pathak PN (2013) Optimization studies for the recovery of thorium from advanced heavy water reactor high level waste (AHWR-HLW) solutions using green solvents. Sep Sci Technol 48(4):626–633

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kumari N, Prabhu DR, Kanekar AS, Pathak PN (2012) Validation of solvent extraction scheme for the reprocessing of advanced heavy water reactor spent fuel using N,N-di-hexyl-octanamideas extractant. Ind Eng Chem Res 51(44):14535–14542

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wang L, Yu Y, Huang X, Long Z, Cui D (2013) Toward greener comprehensive utilization of bastnaesite: simultaneous recovery of cerium, fluorine, and thorium from bastnaesite leach liquor using HEH (EHP). Chem Eng J 215–216:162–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ding H, Zhang X, Yang H, Luo X, Lin X (2019) Highly efficient extraction of thorium from aqueous solution by fungal mycelium-based microspheres fabricated via immobilization. Chem Eng J 368:37–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Samsonov MD, Trofimov TI, Kulyako YM, Malikov DA, Myasoedov BF (2016) Supercritical fluid extraction of rare earth elements, thorium and uranium from monazite concentrate and phosphogypsum using carbon dioxide containing tributyl phosphate and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid. Russ J Phys Chem B 10:1078–1084

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Peppard DF, Mason GW, Maier JL (1956) Interrelationships in the solvent extraction behaviour of scandium, thorium, and zirconium in certain tributyl phosphate-mineral acid systems. J Inorg Nucl Chem 3(3–4):215–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Peppard DF, Park O, Nachtman, ES, Forest, P (1958) Separation of Scandium from aqueous solutions, US2824783A

  19. Chung KW, Yoon HS, Kim CJ, Lee JY, Jyothi RK (2020) Solvent extraction, separation and recovery of thorium from Korean monazite leach liquors for nuclear industry applications. J Ind Eng Chem. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2019.11.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Lozano LJ, Juan D (2001) Solvent extraction of polyvanadates from sulphate solutions by Primene 81R: its application to the recovery of vanadium from spent sulphuric acid catalysts leaching solutions. Solvent Extr Ion Exc 19(4):659–676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Parhi PK, Padhan E, Palai AK, Sarangi K, Nathsarma KC (2011) Separation of Co(II) and Ni(II) from the mixed sulphate/chloride solution using NaPC-88A. Desalination 267(2–3):201–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Free ML (2013) Hydrometallurgy: Fundamentals and Applications, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society & Wiley. John Wiley & Sons Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Benedict M, Pigford TH, Levi HW (1981) Nuclear chemical engineering, 2nd edn. McGeaw-Hill Book Company, NY

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support that was provided by the Basic Research Project (GP2017-025) of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Resource Recovery Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon, 34132, Korea

    Kyeong Woo Chung, Ho-Sung Yoon & Chul-Joo Kim

  2. Convergence Research Center for Development of Mineral Resources (DMR), Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Daejeon, 34132, Korea

    Rajesh Kumar Jyothi

Authors
  1. Kyeong Woo Chung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ho-Sung Yoon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chul-Joo Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rajesh Kumar Jyothi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rajesh Kumar Jyothi.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chung, K.W., Yoon, HS., Kim, CJ. et al. Separation, purification and recovery of thorium from monazite leach liquors by counter-current extraction process. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 324, 245–255 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07041-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07041-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation