Production of Nuclear Grade Thorium Oxide from Monazite

• Thorium concentrate is obtained by caustic digestion of Monazite followed by selective leaching with HCl.
• The thorium concentrate contains all the thorium and uranium values in the ore along with residual rare earths.
• A 2 stage solvent extraction separation is carried out in nitrate media   with 10% TBP for uranium recovery and then with 40% TBP whereby nuclear grade thorium nitrate is obtained.
• Thorium is precipitated as oxalate which is calcined to obtain Nuclear Grade Thorium Oxide (Total impurity < 2ppb Boron Equivalent).
• Process technology for production of nuclear grade thorium oxide has been developed.