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When uranium is purified by the ether extraction method, black oxide is dissolved in nitric acid and ether is added; an ether layer containing uranium and an aqueous layer containing uranium and impurities are obtained. The distribution of some impurities between the two phases and the effect of such impurities on the extraction process were studied. the processing required in the preparation of pure uranyl nitrate might be decreased if, instead of uranosic oxide, sodium diuranate was used as a source of uranium. If it is assumed that uranosic oxide contains the same amounts of impurities as sodium diuranate, with the exception of soda, the extraction of soda by the wash of an ether solution of nitrate prepared from diuranate would be the criterion of suitability of sodium diuranate. The distribution and effect of sodium in the extraction process was therefore investigated, and the results are described in this report. For various of the impurities, the distribution in the process and the effect on uranium holdup in the insoluble cake was investigated. Particular attention was given to the behavior of boron, vanadium, chromium, and molybdenum.