A process for recovering a rare earth element. The process includes adding water and a nonaqueous acid to an ionic liquid, and dissolving an oxide of a first rare earth element directly into the ionic liquid to form an ionic solution comprising at least about 0.1 weight percent water, the acid and an ion of the first rare earth element. The process further includes applying a potential to the ionic solution to deposit the first rare earth element onto an electrode as a metal.

In a system and method for separating metals from a substance comprising them, a system may comprise a constant current power supply and a furnace having a chamber for containing the substance. The furnace may comprise an insulating outer section, a chamber wall, and two electrodes.

In a system and method for separating metals from a substance comprising them, a system may comprise a constant current power supply and a furnace having a chamber for containing the substance. The furnace may comprise an insulating outer section, a chamber wall, and two electrodes.

Described are methods for the recovery of uranium from uranium hexafluoride dissolved directly into ionic liquids.

Described are methods for the recovery of uranium from uranium hexafluoride dissolved directly into ionic liquids.

An anode assembly is provided having a pair of channels; anodes in slidable communication with the channels; conduit to direct carrier gas to the anode; and conduit to remove reaction gas from the anode. Also provided is a method for continuously feeding anodes into a electrolytic bath, the method having the steps of stacking the anodes such that all of the anodes reside in the same plane and wherein the stack includes a bottom anode; contacting the bottom anode with the electrolytic bath for a time and at a current sufficient to cause the bottom anode to be consumed during an electrolytic process; using gravity to replace the bottom anode with other anodes defining the stack.

Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

Spent nuclear fuel is added to an electro-reduction cell, wherein the electro-reduction cell includes a halide salt electrolyte, and anode, and a cathode including an alloy of uranium and a first metal forming a low melting point alloy with uranium, the first metal being one or more of: iron; chromium; nickel; manganese; and cobalt. The spent nuclear fuel is electrochemically reduced at a potential sufficient to reduce plutonium and lanthanides in the spent nuclear fuel, to form a molten alloy of the first metal, uranium and higher actinides present in the spent nuclear fuel. The alloy is extracted from the electro-reduction cell while uranium oxide is present in the electro-reduction cell. The spent nuclear fuel includes uranium oxide and at least 1 mol of lanthanides per tonne of uranium in the spent nuclear fuel, and the electro-reduction cell is operated at a temperature above the melting point of the alloy.

Described are methods for the recovery of uranium from uranium hexafluoride dissolved directly into ionic liquids.

Described are methods for the recovery of uranium from uranium hexafluoride dissolved directly into ionic liquids.