Platinum-group metals from nuclear reactions as a possible resource

Conference · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5332424

Jensen, G A

Spent nuclear fuels contain significant quantities of three of the platinum-group metals (ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium), and a related element technetium, which is nearly absent in nature. Applications for ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium are well established. Since the supply of these and other platinum metals is largely from foreign sources, they are considered strategic materials. Existing and future spent nuclear fuels contain quantities of these platinum metals that exceed the United States reserve base. Technetium has properties similar to platinum metals and has unique, useful properties of its own. The technical feasibility of recovering and using fission product platinum metals (and technetium) extensively in industry depends on: thoroughly decontaminating platinum-group metals from all other radioactive materials in the waste stream; separating platinum-group metals from one another in very high purity; using applications where appropriate control of the residual radioactivity is possible; and whether or not the United States will recover or process spent fuel prior to repository storage. If the radioactivity must be removed, isotope separation or long term storage to allow decay of the contained radioisotopes may be possible. 7 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5332424
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-12972; CONF-8506176-1; ON: DE85016277
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050600* -- Nuclear Fuels-- By-Products-- (-1987)
050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
BY-PRODUCTS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PALLADIUM
PLATINUM METALS
REACTOR MATERIALS
RECOVERY
RHODIUM
RUTHENIUM
SPENT FUELS
TECHNETIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USES