Pengendapan Torium (Th) dari Monasit Bangka Setelah Proses Solvent Impregnated Resin (SIR)

ABSTRAKPengolahan monasit Bangka secara basa dilakukan melalui tahapan dekomposisi; pelarutan parsial pH 3,7; pengendapan parsial pH 6,3; dan pengendapan total pH 9,8. Proses tersebut menghasilkan natrium fosfat, Rare Earth (RE) hidroksida, uranium (U), dan torium (Th). Pada proses dekomposisi, 99 % natrium fosfat telah terambil dan RE hidroksida telah terpisah dari U dan Th dengan recovery 85 %. Sementara itu, U dan Th yang dihasilkan masih bercampur sehingga perlu dipisahkan. Pemurnian Th dari U pada monasit telah dilakukan dengan metode Solvent Impregnated Resin (SIR) dan dilanjutkan dengan proses elusi setelah SIR. Hasilnya, Th masih berada pada fase cairan berupa larutan torium nitrat [Th(NO3)2] sehingga perlu diendapkan sebagai torium hidroksida [Th(OH)2] untuk memudahkan proses berikutnya. Pengendapan Th setelah proses SIR dilakukan dengan tujuan memperoleh kondisi optimum pengendapan. Resin penyokong yang digunakan adalah amberlite XAD-16 menggunakan ekstraktan yang diimpregnasikan dengan tributyl phosphate (TBP), reagen elusi asam nitrat (HNO3) encer dan reagen pengendapan amoniak (NH4OH). Parameter yang diteliti adalah pengaruh pH dan waktu pengendapan terhadap recovery Th. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kondisi optimum pengendapan Th dari monasit setelah proses SIR pada pH 1,2 dan waktu 60 menit dengan recovery 84,74 % Th; 3,26 % U; 34,74 % RE; dan 8,52 % PO4.ABSTRACTAlkaline processing of Bangka monazite is carried out through stages like decomposition; partial dissolution pH 3.7; partial precipitation pH 6.3; and total precipitation pH 9.8. These procesess produce sodium phosphate, Rare Earth (RE) Hydroxide, uranium (U), and thorium (Th). On decomposition procsess, 99 % of sodium phosphate had been recovered and RE Hydroxide was separated from U and Th with 85% recovery. Meanwhile, the U and Th products were still mixed so that needs to separate. Purification of Th from U in monazite had been carried out by using Solvent Impregnated Resin (SIR) method and continued by elution after SIR. The result is that Th is still in the liquid phase as thorium nitrate [Th(NO3)2] solution so it needs to be precipitated as thorium hydroxide [Th(OH)2] to facilitate the next process. Precipitation of Th after SIR process is conducted with the aim to obtain optimum precipitation condition. The supporting resin used is amberlite XAD-16 with impregnated tributyl phosphate (TBP) extractant, dilute nitric acid (HNO3) as elution reagent, and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) as precipitation reagent. The observed parameters are the effect of pH and precipitation time on Th recovery. The results show that the optimum precipitation conditions of Th from monazite after SIR process is on pH 1.2 and 60 minutes time, resulting recovery of 84.74 % Th, 3.26 % U, 34,74 % RE, and 8.52 % PO4.

Solubilities and solubility products of thorium hydroxide under moderate temperature conditions

The Th solubilities of the sample solutions that initially contained Th(OH)4(am) prepared by undersaturation and oversaturation methods in the pHcrange of 2.0–8.0 in a 0.5 M ionic strength solution of NaClO4and HClO4and stored at aging temperatures (Ta) of 298, 313 and 333 K were investigated in this study. After a certain period of time up to 40 weeks depending onTa, supernatants of the sample solutions were ultrafiltrated through 3 kDa membranes under the measurement temperature (Tm) of 298, 313 and 333 K. Size distributions of the colloidal species were investigated by ultrafiltration using membranes with different pore sizes ranging from 3 to 100 kDa, and the solid phases were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The solubility of the sample solutions obtained after aging atTa=298 K using undersaturation method with continuous shaking was similar to those of dried precipitate of Th hydroxide. The solubilities obtained after aging atTa=313 and 333 K were lower than those atTa=298 K. The XRD spectra suggested that the crystallization of the solid phase proceeded under these elevated temperatures. The solubility of the sample solutions obtained after aging atTa=333 K using the oversaturation technique were similar to those prepared by undersaturation method and aged at the sameTa. A slight temperature dependence of the apparent solubilities on theTmwas observed in the sample solutions prepared by both methods. The solubility products$({K_{{\text{sp,}}{T_{\text{a}}}}}({T_{\text{m}}}))$after differentTaandTmwere determined from the solubility analysis. The observed increase in the formation constant$({K_{{\text{s,}}{T_{\text{a}}}}}({T_{\text{m}}}))$of Th4++(4+x)H2O(1)⇌Th(OH)4·xH2O(s,Ta)+4H+with increasingTmindicated that the reaction was endothermic. The enthalpy change$(\Delta_{r}H_{m\_ T_{\text{a}} \to {\text{cr}}}^{\circ} )$between the solid phases of Th(OH)4·xH2O(s,Ta) and ThO2(cr) suggested that the solid phase transformation from Th(OH)4·xH2O(s,Ta) to ThO2(cr) contains an endothermic process.

Studi Ekstraksi Bijih Thorit dengan Metode Digesti Asam dan Pemisahan Thorium dari Logam Tanah Jarang dengan Metode Oksidasi-Presipitasi Selektif

AbstrakThorium (Th) merupakan logam radioaktif yang dapat terbentuk bersama uranium dan logam tanah jarang (LTJ). Mineral-mineral yang mengandung unsur radioaktif diantaranya monasit ((Ce,La,Y,U/Th)PO4), thorianit ((Th,U)O2), dan thorit (ThSiO4). Daerah Mamuju, Sulawesi Barat diketahui mengandung mineral radioaktif, salah satunya adalah thorit. Untuk memisahkan LTJ dari unsur radioaktif dapat dilakukan dengan cara mengekstraksi thorium dari bijih thorit dengan metode digesti asam menggunakan asam sulfat (H2SO4), kemudian diikuti pelindian dalam air dan rekoveri thorium dalam bentuk thorium hidroksida dengan metode presipitasi kimia menggunakan ammonium hidroksida (NH4OH). Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa kondisi optimum digesti asam yang memberikan persentase ekstraksi paling tinggi didapatkan pada rasio padat/cair 1:2 (g/mL) selama 60 menit dengan persentase ekstraksi Th, besi (Fe), dan LTJ masing-masing sebesar 82,47%, 80,08%, dan 83,31%. Persentase presipitasi Th tertinggi sebesar 95,47% diperoleh pada pH 4,5 dalam suhu ruangan (26±1°C). Pada temperatur yang lebih tinggi, (70°C), diperoleh persentase presipitasi thorium yang lebih rendah sebesar 83,69%. Pre-oksidasi dengan menggunakan larutan H2O2sebanyak dua kali stoikiometri selama 1,5 jam pada suhu kamar meningkatkan persentase presipitasi Fe dari 93,08% menjadi 99,93%. AbstractThorium (Th) is a radioactive metal that can be formed along with uranumand rare earth metals (REM). Minerals contain radioactive elements are monazite ((Ce,La,Y,U/Th)PO4), thorianite ((Th,U)O2), and thorite (ThSiO4). Mamuju Area is containing radioactive minerals, thorite is one of them. To separate REM from radioactive elements can be conducted by exctracting thorium from thorite ore by acid digestion method using sulphuric acid (H2SO4), followed by leaching and thorium recovery in the form of thorium hydroxide by chemical precipitation using ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH). The experimental results showed that the optimum conditions of acid digestion that give the highest Th extraction percentage on solid to liquid ratio are obtained at 1:2 (g/mL) in 60 minutes with extraction percentages of Th, iron (Fe) and REM are 82.47%, 80.08%, and 83.31% respectively. The highest thorium precipitation percentage, as much as 95.47% , was obtained at pH 4.5 on room temperature (26 ± 1°C). At higher temperature (70°C), a lower percentage of thorium precipitation is obtained, as much as 83.69%. Pre-oxidation by using H2O2 solution with two times stoichiometry for 1.5 hours at room temperature is increasing Fe precipitation percentage from 93.08% to 99.93%.

Hydrolysis of thorium(iv) at variable temperatures

Three thorium hydroxide clusters ([Thm(OH)n](4m−n)+, where (n,m) = (2,2); (8,4) and (15,6)) were evoked to describe the hydrolysis behavior of Th(iv) in acidic solutions with the ratio of [OH]/[Th] < 2 at variable temperatures (283–353 K).

Solubility of amorphous Th(IV) hydroxide – application of LIBD to determine the solubility product and EXAFS for aqueous speciation

SummaryThe solubility of amorphous Th(IV) hydroxide at pH 3.0–13.5 and the aqueous speciation at pH < 4 are investigated in 0.5 M NaCl and 25 °C. The laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD) is used to monitor the initial formation of thorium hydroxide colloids during the coulometric titration of 1.2×10In other solubility studies with amorphous Th(IV) hydroxide or hydrous oxide, considerably higher thorium concentrations are measured at pH 3.5–5. Therefore, solutions of comparable H