Extraction of trivalent rare earths and minor actinides from nitric acid with -tetradodecyldiglycolamide (TDdDGA) by using mixer-settler extractors in a hot cell

Ban, Yasutoshi  ; Suzuki, Hideya; Hotoku, Shinobu ; Kawasaki, Tomohiro*; Sagawa, Hiroshi*; Tsutsui, Nao  ; Matsumura, Tatsuro  

A continuous counter-current experiment using TDdDGA was performed using mixer-settler extractors installed in a hot cell. Nitric acid containing minor actinides (MAs: Am and Cm), rare earths (REs: Y, La, Nd, and Eu), and other fission products (Sr, Cs, Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, and Pd) was fed to the extractor. TDdDGA effectively extracted MAs and REs from the feed, while other fission products were barely extracted. The extracted MAs and REs were back-extracted by bringing them in contact with 0.02 mol/dm nitric acid, and they were collected as the MA-RE fraction. The proportions of MA and RE in the MA-RE fraction were 98% and 86%, respectively. These results demonstrated the applicability of TDdDGA as an extractant for MAs and REs.