SEPARATION OF THORIUM FROM URANIUM PRODUCT AT THE TAIL END OF THORIUMFUEL-REPROCESSING USING MACROPOROUS CATION-EXCHANGE RESIN

The utility of macroporous cation-exchange resins for the separation o f uranium from thorium (relevant to the final purification of the prod uct uranium after reprocessing of the thorium breeder fuel) was examin ed. Two such cation-exchange resins were studied and compared with a p reviously used gel-type resin. Batch experiments and column experiment s were performed to generate equilibrium data and to optimize the proc edure for the separation of U from Th under process conditions. Recove ry and purity of the final product were the same while loading and was hing rates were much higher (120 mL/h) than those used for gel-type re sins (40 mL/h). Much higher throughput was achieved without losing pro duct quality when macroporous resins were used instead of the gel-type resin.