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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

METHOD OF REFINING URANIUM

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4034457

A method is given for refining impure uranium produced by electrolysis or by other reduction processes. In this method, impure uranium is melted in a fused salt bath containing an alkali metal halide and an alkaline earth metal halide, and after a suitable interval, molten purified uranium is allowed to coalesce and then is removed from the bath. A particularly suitable bath is one contaiing KHF/sub 2/ and BaCl/sub 2/. The purifying action probably resides in a combination of vaporization and dissolution and/or retention of impurities in the salt bath. In this way, uranium may be purified from oxide and salt impurities and metals such as sodium, and steps such as crushing, washing, grinding sin- tering, etc., may be eliminated. (D. L.C.)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-15-015687
OSTI ID:
4034457
Report Number(s):
GB 864411
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English