EXTRACTION OF THORIUM BY SECONDARY AMINES

Results are reported for the extraction of thorium from aqueous sulphate media by secondary amines. These results indicate that extremely high partition coefficients are obtained at low sulphate concentrations and that extraction occurs in conditions where anionic thorium complexes are formed. Anomalous extraction behaviour was observed at solvent concentrations greater than 10-2 N. The experimental evidence suggests that six amine molecules are associated with each extracted thorium atom, which is itself monomeric, and that hydrogen bonding plays a role in the extraction process. © 1968.