US 11,798,700 B2
Systems, apparatus and methods for separating actinium, radium, and thorium
Andrew Kyle Henderson Robertson, Vancouver (CA); Hua Yang, Vancouver (CA); Stefan Zeisler, Vancouver (CA); and Paul Schaffer, Vancouver (CA)
Assigned to THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver (CA); and TRIUMF INC., Vancouver (CA)
Appl. No. 17/40,652
Filed by TRIUMF Inc., Vancouver (CA); and THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver (CA)
PCT Filed Mar. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/CA2019/050370
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 23, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/183724, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/723,112, filed on Aug. 27, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/647,933, filed on Mar. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0027905 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. G21G 1/00 (2006.01); G21G 1/10 (2006.01); B01D 5/00 (2006.01); C01B 15/047 (2006.01); C01F 17/13 (2020.01); B01D 15/18 (2006.01); B01D 15/36 (2006.01)
CPC G21G 1/001 (2013.01) [B01D 15/1871 (2013.01); B01D 15/362 (2013.01); B01D 15/363 (2013.01); C01B 15/0475 (2013.01); C01F 17/13 (2020.01); G21G 1/10 (2013.01); G21G 2001/0089 (2013.01); G21G 2001/0094 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
 
1. A method of separating thorium from actinium and/or radium, the method comprising:
placing the thorium and the actinium and/or radium in a weak acid solution;
adding a selective precipitant to the weak acid solution and precipitating a bulk portion of the dissolved thorium under precipitation conditions while leaving the actinium and/or radium in the solution; and
filtering to separate the precipitated bulk portion of the thorium from the actinium and/or radium in the solution.