Uranium isotope separation by continuous anion exchange chromatography

A simple, low temperature process for separating uranium isotopes and producing substantially pure uranium isotope fractions from a crude uranium isotope-containing aqueous feed stock is provided. A uranium isotope-containing solution is fed to an anion exchange resin in a continuously rotating annular chromatograph 12 as a suitable eluant is also simultaneously fed to the rotating chromatograph via inlets 24. A Uranium 235, a Uranium 238 and an impurity fraction (36, 38, 34 respectively) are recovered from the chromatograph. The substantially pure uranium 235 and uranium 238 fractions may be subjected to further processing, preferably precipitation with ammonium hydroxide to produce ammonium diuranate, and then calcining to form uranium oxide rich in the desired isotope.