High-speed method for the separation of fermium from actinides and lanthanides

An efficient method is proposed for the separation of fermium from californium, einsteinium, and the lanthanide elements, based on the cocrystallization of reduced fermium with sodium chloride in aqueous ethanol solutions containing ytterbium(II). Almost complete extraction of fermium is achieved when [Yb2+] approx. = 2 mg/ml, [cl-] approx. = 1.5 M, [H2O] approx. = 55 M, and about 5 mg/ml NaCl is introduced. The coefficient for the separation of fermium from its elemental analogs in one cocrystallization state is 103-104. The separation takes about 10 min