Extraction of uranium from nitric acid solutions by tributylphosphate/kerosene

The extraction of nitric acid and hexavalent uranium from nitric acid and nitric acid containing uranium(VI) media by tributylphosphate (TBP)/kerosene has been studied, and all factors affecting the extraction process (time of mixing, uranium concentration, nitric acid concentration, TBP concentration, temperature) have been investigated. The equilibrium constant of the extraction reaction of uranium by TBP was found to be 102.464, 102.668 L4/mol4 at 25 C, and the enthalpy was -16.47, -23.07 k.J/mol for 0.5 M and 1 M nitric acid concentration respectively. The optimal conditions obtained from this study were applied on the purification of the Yellow cake resulted as a byproduct from the Pilot Plant of H3PO4 purification in the TSP fertilizer company in Homs. (authors)