Use of extraction chromatography for thorium purification from Eskisehir-Beylikahir Thorium-REEs ore deposit

The extraction chromatography method was used to separate thorium from acidic leach solution. The separation of thorium was realized on silica gel column coated with tri-octlyphosphine oxide (TOPO). The extraction yield of thorium on this column from nitric acid leach solution is 91.9%. Then thorium was eluted by using 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, and elution yield was determined as 96.5%. The chemical analysis of H2SO4 fractions indicated that thorium was concentrated and purified successfully by this method. As a result, thorium was recovered in dilute leach solution with a yield of 81.0 ± 6.8%. (orig.)