Development and Validation of the EXAm Separation Process for Single Am Recycling

The EXAm process aims at recovering americium alone. The principle of the EXAm process is based on the extraction of americium together with some light lanthanides having close values of distribution coefficients in high nitric acidity, while curium and other lanthanides remain in the aqueous phase. The TEDGA amide molecule is added in the aqueous phase to increase Am/Cm and Am/heavy Ln selectivity, because of the preferential complexation of curium and heavy lanthanides by this diglycolamide. The Am is subsequently selectively stripped from the light lanthanides.The full approach aiming at validating this complex process is illustrated in this paper.