Separation of protactinium from uranium residues

Determination of Protactinium by Gamma Spectrometry

“…The protactinium in the uranium ore residue was separated and purified by a procedure which results in high chemical purity as well as radiochemical purity (7). This process involves the solution of the ore residue in dilute hydrochloric acid, precipitation of protactinium on a silicate carrier, and final purification of protactinium by an ion exchange procedure.…”

“…In some cases it may be considerably more accurate. For example, the loss of protactinium in the silicate carrier step of the chemical purification method (7) was determined by gamma spectrum analysis to be no more than 3%. The same silicate carrier step was also evaluated using beta-active protactinium-233 as a tracer, and again the loss of protactinium was no more than 3%.…”

Mortality Among Mound Workers Exposed to Polonium-210 and Other Sources of Radiation, 1944–1979

“…Purification of Protactinium-231 from natural sources was discussed by Kirby and Figgins (1959), Kirby (1959), and Salutsky et al (1956). Residues were initially filtered from aqueous raffinate solutions following a diethyl ether extraction of uranium.…”

Nucleonics

“…Protactinium and Uranium. Two detailed papers describe the separation of protactinium (400,1031). Individual separation steps include concentration of protactinium by anion exchange (68), solvent extraction (392,908), manganese dioxide precipitation (684), chromatography and paper electrophoresis (680), and electrolytic deposition (828, 824).…”