Abstract: In a plant for uranium enrichment using a cascade of ion exchange beds, each bed operates more efficiently because an annular chamber is rotated about a stationary annular ion exchange bed at a speed corresponding to the speed of migration of a region so that, with respect to such rotating chamber, each of the regions of a system remains substantially stationary. An aqueous solution of ferric chloride is pumped to the ferric region and flows forwardly to the forwardly moving rear boundary of the uranium region.

Abstract: Uranium is separated from contaminating cations in an aqueous liquor containing uranyl ions. The liquor is mixed with sufficient recycled uranium complex to raise the weight ratio of uranium to said cations preferably to at least about three. The liquor is then extracted with at least enough non-interfering, water-immiscible, organic solvent to theoretically extract about all of the uranium in the liquor. The oganic solvent contains a reagent which reacts with the uranyl ions to form a complex soluble in the solvent. If the aqueous liquor is acidic, the organic solvent is then scrubbed with water. The organic solvent is stripped with a solution containing at least enough ammonium carbonate to pecipitate the uranium complex. A portion of the uranium complex is recycled and the remainder can be collected and calcined to produce U.sub.3 O.sub.8 or UO.sub.2.

Abstract: Uranium values are obtained from phosphate rock by acidifying phosphate rock containing uranium values and at least one other heavy metal with a mineral acid so as to obtain a crude acid, solvent extracting the crude acid with an organic solvent so as to separate a raffinate from a relatively pure, wet process phosphoric acid and treating said raffinate with a base so as to raise the pH to 1-2 whereby uranium hydroxide or phosphate and other heavy metal hydroxides or phosphates are coprecipitated. The uranium content of the coprecipitate after drying is at least as high as 0.3% which is comparable to that of uranium ores of the highest quality.

Abstract: After a first extraction of an aqueous nitric acid solution of spent nuclear fuel by a suitable organic solvent and a first washing of the resulting organic phase by an aqueous solution to remove tritiated water, the organic phase is submitted to a second washing with a volume of dilute aqueous solution of nitric acid free from tritium, said volume being substantially smaller than that of the organic phase, whereby the organic phase is rendered substantially tritium-free and contamination by tritium in the following stages of the process is avoided.

Abstract: 17. A process for separating fission product values from uranium and plutonium values contained in an aqueous solution, comprising adding an oxidizing agent to said solution to secure uranium and plutonium in their hexavalent state; contacting said aqueous solution with a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent while agitating and maintaining the temperature at from -1.degree. to -2.degree. C. until the major part of the water present is frozen; continuously separating a solid ice phase as it is formed; separating a remaining aqueous liquid phase containing fission product values and a solvent phase containing plutonium and uranium values from each other; melting at least the last obtained part of said ice phase and adding it to said separated liquid phase; and treating the resulting liquid with a new supply of solvent whereby it is practically depleted of uranium and plutonium.

Abstract: In conventional processes for separating metals by selective precipitation, the precipitate is frequently in an amorphous form, eg a slime, which is difficult to filter, wash and handle generally. In the present process mixed solutions and/or sols of the metals are mixed with a suitable soluble organic polymer to form a viscous mixture. The latter is formed into discrete entities, e.g. drops, which are contacted with a reagent which converts each drop to a gelled entity containing at least one of the metals as a precipitate.In one form of the process, the same chemical reagent also serves to dissolve the other metal present in the initial drops. The metals are then easily separated by separating the gelled drops from the reagent. In another form, the reagent includes two different chemical reagents which contact the drop simultaneously, one to precipitate one metal in the gelled drops and the other to dissolve the other metal.

Abstract: A method for recovering substantially all of the fluorine and uranium values and at least 90 percent of the rare earth metal values from brine raffinate obtained as by-product in the production of phosphoric acid by the hydrochloric acid decomposition of tricalcium phosphate minerals. A basically reacting compound is added to the brine raffinate to effect a pH of at least about 9, whereby fluorine, uranium and rare earth metal values are simultaneously precipitated therefrom. These values may then be separately recovered from the precipitate by known processes.

Abstract: Naphthenohydroxamic acid is prepared by reaction at 25.degree.C to 30.degree.C, equimolar quantities ofA. an ester of naphthenic acid,B. hydroxylamine dissolved in an alcohol/water/alkali metal sulfate slurry wherein the water content of the slurry is insufficient to hydrolyze the ester during conversion to naphthenohydroxamic acid, andC. an alkali metal hydroxide dissolved in alcohol.Naphthenohydroxamic acid is useful as a chelating agent in hydrometallurgy to recover metal values from dilute solution.