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U.S. Department of Energy
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXCER PROCESS. IV. CHLORIDE SYSTEM

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4275231· OSTI ID:4275231
An Excer flowsheet for the recovery of uranium from a chloride system by anion exchange is presented. Ore concentrate is dissolved in HCl, purified by anion exchange, electrolytically reduced to uranium tetrachloride, and then precipitated as hydrated uranium tetrafiuoride by the addition of HF. The hydrated uranium tetrafluoride is filtered, dried, pelletized, granulated, and then dehydrated in a fluidized-bed dehydrator at 450 C. In the anion exchange purification step decontamination factors of greater than 10/sup 3/ are realized for all impurities except trivalent iron, pentavalent vanadium, and molybdenum. These three impurities are removed in the uranium tetrafiuoride precipitation step with a decontamination factor of 1O/sup 3/. In an evaluntion, three kilogram batches of Excer uranium tetrafluoride were bomb-reduced to the metal. The first and second runs were reduced as received, and reduction yields of 0 and 14% were obtained. The third batch was ballmilled for 24 hours, improving its blendability with the magnesium reductant, and a yield of 76% was obtained. (auth)
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-13-002834
OSTI ID:
4275231
Report Number(s):
ORNL-2490
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English