Possibilities of concentrating 99Мо by extraction with solutions of aliphatic hydroxamic acids in alcohols

Abstract

Equilibrium distribution of molybdenum, uranium, and certain fission products in extraction from nitric acid solutions with 0.2% solutions of hydroxamic acids in alcohols poorly soluble in water and the process kinetics were studied. Methods for the Mo stripping were examined. A small-size flowsheet allowing ~98% isolation of Mo in 6 h and its preconcentration by a factor of 15 with efficient separation from the main impurities (separation factors 500–10 000) was tested on an extraction rig with a model solution spiked with ⁹⁹Mo and ¹²⁵I. A batch procedure ensuring the ⁹⁹Mo preconcentration by a factor of ~180 and separation from the impurities with the separation factor of 10³–10⁸ at a process time of 2 h was suggested and checked.