Influence of alcohols on the extraction of cerium(IV) by Aliquat-336 in kerosene

Tricaprylmethylammonium chloride (Aliquat-336) diluted with kerosene was used to extract cerium(IV) from nitric acid medium. Various alcohols were used as modifiers to overcome the third phase problem. The different parameters affecting the extraction process including nitric, nitrate, hydrogen ion, extractant and metal concentrations as well as the temperature were separately investigated. The effect of the investigated alcohols on the extraction process was also studied in detail at two different concentrations and correlated to their physical constants. Based on the obtained results, the extraction equilibrium was deduced and the optimum conditions for the extraction of cerium(IV) were proposed. The method was tested and applied to the separation of cerium from the hydrous oxide cake resulting from monazite sand.     

The massive Wolf–Rayet binary SMC WR7

We present a study of optical spectra of the Wolf–Rayet star AzV 336a (=SMC WR7) in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Our study is based on data obtained at several Observatories between 1988 and 2001. We find SMC WR7 to be a double-lined WN+O6 spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 19.56 d. The radial velocities of the He absorption lines of the O6 component and the strong He  ii emission at λ 4686 Å of the WN component describe anti-phased orbital motions. However, they show a small phase shift of ∼1 d. We discuss possible explanations for this phase shift. The amplitude of the radial velocity variations of He  ii emission is twice that of the absorption lines. The binary components have fairly high minimum masses, ∼18 and 34 M_⊙ for the WN and O6 components, respectively.     

Recovery of thorium (IV) from leached monazite solutions using counter-current extraction

A flow sheet was developed to recover thorium from Egyptian monazite sands. The results of a detailed investigation on the extraction and stripping of thorium in the hydrous oxide are obtained after alkaline dissolution followed by leaching with alkaline carbonate solutions. This cake was dissolved in 4 M HNO₃ and thorium was extracted selectively by a counter-current extraction system using a mixer–settler contactor and Aliquat-336 in kerosene as extractant. The results show that 2 h of continuous operation are necessary to reach the steady state condition for the process. The extraction efficiency is found to be 80% and the stripping efficiency is 82%.