Separation of zirconium and hafnium by solvent extraction using mixture of DIBK and P204

A liquid-liquid extractive separation between hafnium and zirconium from thiocyanic acid medium using the mixtures of diisobutyl ketone (DIBK) and di (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (P204) as the extractant was developed. Under this condition of that the aqueous acidity is 1.0 mol/L, the concentration of P204 in the organic phase is 10% (v/v), the contacting time is 15 min, the concentration of NH4SCN is 4.0 mol/L, and the concentration of NaCl is about 2.0-3.0 mol/L, the separation factor of hafnium and zirconium is up to 10.5.