The recovery of radium and edta from radium leach solutions

The recovery of radium and EDTA from a leach solution used to extract radium from uranium mill solids is described. Ion-exchange is shown to effectively remove radium from the leach solutions. A relationship for the distribution of radium and other ions between the ion-exchange resin and the aqueous phase is developed. The EDTA is recovered in a two-stage process: lime treatment and acid precipitation. The total recovery of EDTA is about 95%. An outline of a process to recover radium and recycle EDTA is given.