Radium of radium Curie used the residues after extraction of uranium from pitchblende. The uranium had been extracted by dissolution in sulfuric acid leaving radium sulfate, which is similar to barium sulfate but even less soluble in the residues. The residues also contained rather substantial amounts of barium sulfate which thus acted as a carrier for the radium sulfate. The first steps of the radium extraction process involved boiling with sodium hydroxide followed by hydrochloric acid treatment to remove as much as possible of other compounds. The remaining residue was then treated with sodium carbonate to convert the barium sulfate into
Uranium – Twisting the Dragon's Tail Uranium – Twisting the Dragon's Tail Uranium – Twisting the Dragon's Tail is a television documentary series about uranium, its history, and its uses. It was produced by Gene Pool Productions for PBS and SBS and premiered on both networks in late July and August 2015. The series was conceived, created, written and directed by Wain Fimeri, was shot in nine countries and is presented by Derek Muller. Derek Muller introduces uranium and its use throughout history. Uranium, originally sourced from pitchblende, became the subject of intense scientific study. Using computer-generated dragons as a metaphor for daughter isotopes, the episode