Three major sources of organic contamination of the tri-n-butyl (TBP) -kerosene solvent that was used in the National Lead Company of Ohio's Ore Refinery extraction system have been identified. Two of these "tramp" materials, lubricating oils used in the ex¬traction system and organic materials present in the incoming feed concentrates, can build up rapidly in the TBP-kerosene system and quickly render the solvent unsuitable for uranium extraction in the pulse column system. The third source of contamination was the nitration of the kerosene in the solvent. These foreign organic materials can be detected qualitatively and to some extent quantitatively through coalescence time testing and a light transmittance test of the solvent.
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