Patent ID: 8778288

Claim:
A separation method of zirconium and hafnium, comprising: an extraction process of agitating an undiluted aqueous solution containing zirconium, hafnium, and sulfuric acid with a first stirring solution containing an acidic extractant to produce a first extract solution in which the hafnium is extracted by the acidic extractant; and a recovery process of agitating the first extract solution with a second stirring solution containing a citric acid solution to produce a citric acid solution after extraction in which zirconium is reverse-extracted from the first extract solution to the citric acid solution so as to recover zirconium contained in the first extract solution, wherein the acidic extractant comprises any one selected from a group consisting of D2EHPA (di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid), PC88A (2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester) and their combination.