Method for separating radioactive copper using chelating-ion exchange resin

A method for separating radioactive copper from nickel that contains radioactive copper and radioactive cobalt, which comprises dissolving nickel that contains radioactive copper and radioactive cobalt in a first acid solution to form a resultant solution, passing the resultant solution through a chelating-ion exchange resin-filled column to thereby hold the nickel, radioactive copper and radioactive cobalt on the chelating-ion exchange resin, then passing a second acid solution through the chelating-ion exchange resin-filled column to elute nickel and radioactive cobalt, and thereafter passing a third acid solution having a higher concentration than that of the second acid solution through the chelating-ion exchange resin-filled column after nickel and radioactive cobalt have been eluted therefrom to thereby elute radioactive copper,

• wherein the chelating-ion exchange resin has an iminodiacetic acid group as a coordinating group,
• wherein the first acid solution and the second acid solution are hydrochloric acid or nitric acid of from 0.15 to 0.1 mol/L, or sulfuric acid of from 0.07 to 0.05 mol/L, and
• wherein the third acid solution is hydrochloric acid or nitric acid having a concentration of at least 0.5 mol/L, or sulfuric acid having a concentration of at least 0.25 mol/L.