Uranium(VI), Thorium(IV), and Lanthanides(III) Extraction from the Eudialyte Concentrate Using the N,O-Hybrid Heterocyclic Reagents

N,O-donor hybrid heterocyclic extractants have great potential for separation of actinides from lanthanides in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing processes. We demonstrate that this type of reagents can be used for primary concentration of actinides contained in eudialyte, a promising mineral containing a heavy group of lanthanides. With respect to lanthanide ions, the efficiency of their extraction decreases in the series L3 >> L1 > L2, and the extraction of actinides decreases in the series L1 ≈ L3 >> L2. For the extractant L2 based on 2,2′-bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylic acid diamide, the efficiency of lanthanide purification from U, Th exceeds 50. The structure and stereochemical features of the ligands do not have a significant effect on the composition of the formed complexes. The solvation numbers are close to 1 for all range f-elements studied, except for thorium, which indicates the predominant formation of complexes with the composition ratio of 1:1. The solvation numbers 1.4–1.5 are observed for thorium(IV), and the established values indicate the formation of a mixture of complexes with the composition ratios of 1:1 and 2:1.