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Natrophosphate and kogarkoite precipitated from alkaline nuclear waste at Hanford

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Abstract

The Hanford Site, near Richland, Washington in the U.S.A., is implementing a treatment process for liquid radioactive waste. This study determined the mineralogy of existing soilids in the process feed tank, both bulk fine material and large aggregates. The large particulate was cemented kogarkoite (Na3SO4F) and natrophosphate (Na7F(PO4)2·19H2O). The bulk material was also natrophosphate and kogarkoite with trace amounts of gibbsite and Na–C–O-bearing species that are likely sodium oxalate or sodium carbonate. The kogarkoite had an acicular morphology, which has not been observed previously in waste or geological samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC, P.O. Box 850, Richland, WA, 99352, USA

    Stacey D. Bolling, Jacob G. Reynolds, Thomas M. Ely, James S. Lachut, Margaret E. Lamothe & Gary A. Cooke

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  1. Stacey D. Bolling
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  2. Jacob G. Reynolds
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  3. Thomas M. Ely
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  4. James S. Lachut
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Correspondence to Jacob G. Reynolds.

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Bolling, S.D., Reynolds, J.G., Ely, T.M. et al. Natrophosphate and kogarkoite precipitated from alkaline nuclear waste at Hanford. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 323, 329–339 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06924-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06924-9

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