Perfect — now we’re on **Actinium (Ac, atomic number 89).**
Actinium is the **first element in the actinide series**, discovered in 1899 by André-Louis Debierne. It’s a **rare, highly radioactive element** found in **uranium ores** in trace amounts. Today, most actinium is made **artificially** from thorium in nuclear reactors. Its main use is in **radiotherapy (e.g., ^225Ac for targeted alpha therapy)** and scientific research.
Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Actinium**:
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# **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Actinium**
### **A. Natural Occurrence in Ores**
1. **Mining Pitchblende (Uraninite, UO₂)** – Actinium occurs as a trace uranium decay product.
2. **Processing Carnotite Ore (K₂(UO₂)₂(VO₄)₂·3H₂O)** – Small actinium content.
3. **Thorium Ore Extraction (Monazite, ThO₂)** – Actinium occurs as a thorium decay product.
4. **Uranium Mill Tailings Recovery** – Actinium concentrates in radioactive residues.
5. **Recovery from Rare-Earth Ores** – Small actinium traces co-occur with lanthanides.
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### **B. Artificial Production**
6. **Neutron Irradiation of ^226Ra → ^227Ac** – Main method for ^227Ac.
7. **Proton Bombardment of ^232Th → ^225Ac** – Used to make medical isotopes.
8. **Cyclotron Irradiation of Thorium Targets** – Modern production of ^225Ac.
9. **Nuclear Reactor Breeding from Thorium** – Large-scale source of actinium isotopes.
10. **Spallation of Uranium with High-Energy Protons** – Alternative method.
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### **C. Chemical Separation Methods**
11. **Precipitation as Actinium Hydroxide (Ac(OH)₃)** – Classic separation step.
12. **Precipitation as Actinium Oxalate (Ac₂(C₂O₄)₃)** – Used for purification.
13. **Precipitation as Actinium Fluoride (AcF₃)** – Low solubility for separation.
14. **Ion Exchange Chromatography** – Separates Ac³⁺ from lanthanides and thorium.
15. **Extraction with Solvent Systems (TBP, D2EHPA)** – Effective for isolating actinium.
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### **D. Specialized Purification**
16. **Cation-Exchange Separation from Thorium/Uranium** – Exploits differences in ionic radius.
17. **Extraction with Crown Ethers / Macrocyclic Ligands** – Selectively binds actinium.
18. **Liquid–Liquid Extraction Using Chelators (EDTA, DTPA)** – Complexes actinium ions.
19. **Electrodeposition from Aqueous Solutions** – Used for actinium research samples.
20. **Micro-precipitation Techniques for Isotope Purification** – Ensures radiochemical purity for medical use.
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✅ **Summary:**
* Actinium is **not mined directly**; it’s mostly recovered as a **byproduct of uranium/thorium processing** or made in reactors.
* **Natural actinium** (Ac-227) is a rare uranium decay product.
* **Artificial actinium** (especially Ac-225) is much more useful, particularly in **targeted alpha therapy for cancer**.
* Separation is difficult because actinium’s chemistry resembles the **lanthanides** (especially lanthanum), so **ion-exchange and solvent extraction** are key.
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Next up after actinium is **Thorium (Th, atomic number 90).**
Do you want me to continue with the **20 most common methods of extracting Thorium**?
