Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Thorium chloride extraction.

Radium212 - 3-1-2018 at 03:21

Could I produce thorium chloride from lantern mantles by burning them to ashes, producing a mixture of oxides and ashes, then react the mixture with hydrochloric acid to produce thorium chloride? I have about 200 mantles.

The Austrian Scientist - 3-1-2018 at 03:30

No, since you will form ThO2 wich is very inert.
It´s only shlightly soluble in hot conc. H2SO4.
But you could reduce the ThO2 to Th metal and disolve it in HCl.






[Edited on 3-1-2018 by The Austrian Scientist]

j_sum1 - 3-1-2018 at 04:42

Quote: Originally posted by The Austrian Scientist  

But you could reduce the ThO2 to Th metal and disolve it in HCl.


Ahh. That is so much easier to type than to do.
I recommend reading the thread by Dan Vizine on the trials of thorium production.

The Austrian Scientist - 3-1-2018 at 05:11

Can´t you just reduce it with lets say Mg powder like:

ThO2 + 2 Mg --> Th + 2 MgO ?


j_sum1 - 3-1-2018 at 05:16

Calcium. Inert atmosphere. High temp.
Read the thread.

The Austrian Scientist - 3-1-2018 at 05:43

In the Holleman Wiberg(best book of inorganic chemistry in austria) is written that ThO2 would react with CCl4 or AlX3(X = Cl, Br or I) at higher temperatures to ThX4

Radium212 - 3-1-2018 at 10:58

Ok, thanks. Could I reduce it with lithium? I can't find a figure for how much ThO2 would be in a single mantle, but I guess around 1/8 gram.

The Austrian Scientist - 3-1-2018 at 11:19

I think so.
Btw are your mantles used?
When not, couldnt you just soak them in water sinc they are made with Th(NO3)4 and get the salt?

[Edited on 3-1-2018 by The Austrian Scientist]

Radium212 - 3-1-2018 at 11:53

Good point. I was going to burn them because I thought the oxide would be more useable.

The Austrian Scientist - 3-1-2018 at 12:17

Also often they contain up to 1% Ce(NO3)4

Radium212 - 3-1-2018 at 15:08

And in later ones possibly Y.

Radium212 - 4-1-2018 at 09:24

Does anyone know if a carbonate leach (like is often used in uranium chemistry) could be used on the ThO2?

The Austrian Scientist - 4-1-2018 at 09:56

No

Radium212 - 4-1-2018 at 10:10

Yeah, thought not.