Separation of Am-Cm from Al(NO3)3 waste solutions by in-canyon-tank precipitation as oxalates

A process for recovery of Am-Cm residues from high-activity waste concentrates has been developed specifically for application in Savannah River Plant (SRP) canyon tanks. The Am-Cm residues were collected from a campaign to produce plutonium containing high isotopic concentrations of 242Pu. The separation of Am-Cm from the high-activity waste stream, containing about 2M Al(NO3)3, is necessary to produce an acceptable feed solution for a later pressurized cation exchange chromatography separation and purification step. The new process includes formic acid denitration, adjustment of contaminating cations by evaporation and water dilution, and oxalate precipitation of the actinides and lanthanides. After washing, the precipitate was dissolved in 8M nitric acid and the oxalate was destroyed by nitric acid oxidation that was catalyzed by manganous ions. This new process generates about one-fourth the waste of the californium solvent extraction process, which it replaced. The new process also produces a cleaner feed solution for the pressurized cation exchange chromatography separation and purification step