Abstract
We intend to chart the development of the techniques used at the Bouchet plant since the First International Conference held in Geneva in 1955. During that Conference, the methods adopted at that time were described by B. GOLDSCHMIDT and P. VERTES. Generally speaking, the development since that time has been governed by the following factors: 1- Conversion to a mass-production scale: The metal output, which amounted to approximately 10 tons in 1952, practically doubled each year, reaching successive figures of 80 tons in 1955, 160 tons in 1956 and 300 tons in 1957. At this very moment the output capacity of the plant is approaching its maximum, set at 500 tons/year, which it will reach at the end of the year. Beyond this output figure, the work will be carried on by the second French uranium production plant, which is now being erected at Narbonne. 2- Gradual abandoning of ore treatment, resulting from the decentralization of the duties performed by the CEA; The Bouchet Plant had, as a matter of fact, the first French treatment facilities, operating on the basis of 10 to 20 tons of ore per day. This ore, first concentrated at the production site proper by means
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Decrop, J;
Delange, M;
Holder, J;
Huet, H;
Sauteron, J;
Vertes, P
[1]
- Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires
Citation Formats
Decrop, J, Delange, M, Holder, J, Huet, H, Sauteron, J, and Vertes, P.
Improvements made in the methods of purifying uranium compounds and in the production of uranium metal at the Bouchet plant; Ameliorations apportees aux procedes de purification des composes d'uranium et a la fabrication de l'uranium metal a l'usine du Bouchet.
France: N. p.,
1958.
Web.
Decrop, J, Delange, M, Holder, J, Huet, H, Sauteron, J, & Vertes, P.
Improvements made in the methods of purifying uranium compounds and in the production of uranium metal at the Bouchet plant; Ameliorations apportees aux procedes de purification des composes d'uranium et a la fabrication de l'uranium metal a l'usine du Bouchet.
France.
Decrop, J, Delange, M, Holder, J, Huet, H, Sauteron, J, and Vertes, P.
1958.
"Improvements made in the methods of purifying uranium compounds and in the production of uranium metal at the Bouchet plant; Ameliorations apportees aux procedes de purification des composes d'uranium et a la fabrication de l'uranium metal a l'usine du Bouchet."
France.
@misc{etde_20900984,
title = {Improvements made in the methods of purifying uranium compounds and in the production of uranium metal at the Bouchet plant; Ameliorations apportees aux procedes de purification des composes d'uranium et a la fabrication de l'uranium metal a l'usine du Bouchet}
author = {Decrop, J, Delange, M, Holder, J, Huet, H, Sauteron, J, and Vertes, P}
abstractNote = {We intend to chart the development of the techniques used at the Bouchet plant since the First International Conference held in Geneva in 1955. During that Conference, the methods adopted at that time were described by B. GOLDSCHMIDT and P. VERTES. Generally speaking, the development since that time has been governed by the following factors: 1- Conversion to a mass-production scale: The metal output, which amounted to approximately 10 tons in 1952, practically doubled each year, reaching successive figures of 80 tons in 1955, 160 tons in 1956 and 300 tons in 1957. At this very moment the output capacity of the plant is approaching its maximum, set at 500 tons/year, which it will reach at the end of the year. Beyond this output figure, the work will be carried on by the second French uranium production plant, which is now being erected at Narbonne. 2- Gradual abandoning of ore treatment, resulting from the decentralization of the duties performed by the CEA; The Bouchet Plant had, as a matter of fact, the first French treatment facilities, operating on the basis of 10 to 20 tons of ore per day. This ore, first concentrated at the production site proper by means of physical or physico-chemical methods to at least a 2 per cent uranium content, was sufficiently valuable to warrant quite well the cost involved in shipping it. However, the increase in the production schedules led to the treatment of ores of lower and lower grades, and it became more profitable to proceed with the chemicalating of these low-grade ores at the site after more or less thorough grading and, if necessary, preconcentration. As a result, the Bouchet plant scarcely ever receives uranium ores; on the contrary, the mining companies send their chemical concentrates, uranous phosphate and then sodium uranate from the Gueugnon Works in Saone-et-Loire since 1955; magnesium uranate from the Ecarpiere Works in Vendee since the beginning of 1957 and, very soon, products from the works which are now being completed at Bessines near the La Crouzille mines. At the Bouchet plant itself, an appreciable supply of sodium uranate is obtained from the treatment of very high-grade uranothorianite ores, for which purpose a modern installation was particularly set up and which constitutes the subject of a separate report. 3- The need of constantly adapting the methods of treatment to the different grades of concentrates, the variety of which, just stressed, has led to numerous improvements. (author) [French] Nous nous proposons dans ce qui suit de faire le point de l'evolution des techniques appliquees a l'Usine du Bouchet depuis la premiere Conference internationale de Geneve en 1955. Au cours de ce rassemblement les procedes alors mis en oeuvre ont ete decrits par MM. B. GOLDSCHMIDT et P. VERTES. D'une maniere generale leur evolution a ete conditionnee, depuis cette epoque, par les facteurs suivants: 1- Passage a une echelle de production industrielle: cette production metal d'une dizaine de tonnes en 1952, a pratiquement double chaque annee, atteignant successivement 80 tonnes en 1955, 160 tonnes en 1956 et 300 tonnes en 1957. La capacite de production de l'Usine se rapproche, des maintenant de son maximum fixe a 500t/an, qu'elle atteindra a la fin de l'annee. Au dela de cette production le relais sera assure par la seconde Usine francaise productrice d'uranium, en cours de construction a Narbonne. 2- Abandon progressif du traitement des minerais, resultant de la decentralisation intervenue dans les taches du CEA. L'usine du Bouchet eda en effet le premier atelier francais de traitement fonctionnant sur la base de 10 a 20 tonnes de minerai par jour. Ce minerai, prealablement concentre sur les lieux memes de production, par methodes physiques ou physico-chimiques, a une teneur d 'au moins 2 pour cent en uranium, possedait une valeur suffisante pour supporter assez bien les frais de transport. Mais l'accroissement des programmes de production a conduit a traiter des minerais de plus en plus pauvres et il s'est avere plus rentable de proceder sur place au traitement chimique de ces minerais pauvres, apres triage et eventuellement preconcentration plus ou moins pousses. Il en resulte que l'Usine du Bouchet ne recoit plus guere de minerais d'uranium, par contre, les Exploitations minieres lui envoient tous leurs concentres chimiques: phosphate uraneux puis uranate de soude de l'Usine de Gueugnon, en Saone-et-Loire, depuis 1955, uranate de magnesie de l'Usine de l'Ecarpiere, en Vendee, depuis le debut de 1957 et, bientot, produits de l'Usine en cours d'achevement a Bessines, pres des mines de la Crouzille. A l'Usine meme du Bouchet, un appoint non negligeable en uranate de soude provient du traitement des tres riches minerais d'uranothorianite pour lequel un atelier moderne a ete specialement monte et qui fait l'objet d'une communication separee. 3- Necessite d'adapter constamment les methodes de traitement aux diverses categories de concentres, dont la variete, qui vient d'etre soulignee, a entraine de nombreuses mises au point. (auteur)}
place = {France}
year = {1958}
month = {Jul}
}
title = {Improvements made in the methods of purifying uranium compounds and in the production of uranium metal at the Bouchet plant; Ameliorations apportees aux procedes de purification des composes d'uranium et a la fabrication de l'uranium metal a l'usine du Bouchet}
author = {Decrop, J, Delange, M, Holder, J, Huet, H, Sauteron, J, and Vertes, P}
abstractNote = {We intend to chart the development of the techniques used at the Bouchet plant since the First International Conference held in Geneva in 1955. During that Conference, the methods adopted at that time were described by B. GOLDSCHMIDT and P. VERTES. Generally speaking, the development since that time has been governed by the following factors: 1- Conversion to a mass-production scale: The metal output, which amounted to approximately 10 tons in 1952, practically doubled each year, reaching successive figures of 80 tons in 1955, 160 tons in 1956 and 300 tons in 1957. At this very moment the output capacity of the plant is approaching its maximum, set at 500 tons/year, which it will reach at the end of the year. Beyond this output figure, the work will be carried on by the second French uranium production plant, which is now being erected at Narbonne. 2- Gradual abandoning of ore treatment, resulting from the decentralization of the duties performed by the CEA; The Bouchet Plant had, as a matter of fact, the first French treatment facilities, operating on the basis of 10 to 20 tons of ore per day. This ore, first concentrated at the production site proper by means of physical or physico-chemical methods to at least a 2 per cent uranium content, was sufficiently valuable to warrant quite well the cost involved in shipping it. However, the increase in the production schedules led to the treatment of ores of lower and lower grades, and it became more profitable to proceed with the chemicalating of these low-grade ores at the site after more or less thorough grading and, if necessary, preconcentration. As a result, the Bouchet plant scarcely ever receives uranium ores; on the contrary, the mining companies send their chemical concentrates, uranous phosphate and then sodium uranate from the Gueugnon Works in Saone-et-Loire since 1955; magnesium uranate from the Ecarpiere Works in Vendee since the beginning of 1957 and, very soon, products from the works which are now being completed at Bessines near the La Crouzille mines. At the Bouchet plant itself, an appreciable supply of sodium uranate is obtained from the treatment of very high-grade uranothorianite ores, for which purpose a modern installation was particularly set up and which constitutes the subject of a separate report. 3- The need of constantly adapting the methods of treatment to the different grades of concentrates, the variety of which, just stressed, has led to numerous improvements. (author) [French] Nous nous proposons dans ce qui suit de faire le point de l'evolution des techniques appliquees a l'Usine du Bouchet depuis la premiere Conference internationale de Geneve en 1955. Au cours de ce rassemblement les procedes alors mis en oeuvre ont ete decrits par MM. B. GOLDSCHMIDT et P. VERTES. D'une maniere generale leur evolution a ete conditionnee, depuis cette epoque, par les facteurs suivants: 1- Passage a une echelle de production industrielle: cette production metal d'une dizaine de tonnes en 1952, a pratiquement double chaque annee, atteignant successivement 80 tonnes en 1955, 160 tonnes en 1956 et 300 tonnes en 1957. La capacite de production de l'Usine se rapproche, des maintenant de son maximum fixe a 500t/an, qu'elle atteindra a la fin de l'annee. Au dela de cette production le relais sera assure par la seconde Usine francaise productrice d'uranium, en cours de construction a Narbonne. 2- Abandon progressif du traitement des minerais, resultant de la decentralisation intervenue dans les taches du CEA. L'usine du Bouchet eda en effet le premier atelier francais de traitement fonctionnant sur la base de 10 a 20 tonnes de minerai par jour. Ce minerai, prealablement concentre sur les lieux memes de production, par methodes physiques ou physico-chimiques, a une teneur d 'au moins 2 pour cent en uranium, possedait une valeur suffisante pour supporter assez bien les frais de transport. Mais l'accroissement des programmes de production a conduit a traiter des minerais de plus en plus pauvres et il s'est avere plus rentable de proceder sur place au traitement chimique de ces minerais pauvres, apres triage et eventuellement preconcentration plus ou moins pousses. Il en resulte que l'Usine du Bouchet ne recoit plus guere de minerais d'uranium, par contre, les Exploitations minieres lui envoient tous leurs concentres chimiques: phosphate uraneux puis uranate de soude de l'Usine de Gueugnon, en Saone-et-Loire, depuis 1955, uranate de magnesie de l'Usine de l'Ecarpiere, en Vendee, depuis le debut de 1957 et, bientot, produits de l'Usine en cours d'achevement a Bessines, pres des mines de la Crouzille. A l'Usine meme du Bouchet, un appoint non negligeable en uranate de soude provient du traitement des tres riches minerais d'uranothorianite pour lequel un atelier moderne a ete specialement monte et qui fait l'objet d'une communication separee. 3- Necessite d'adapter constamment les methodes de traitement aux diverses categories de concentres, dont la variete, qui vient d'etre soulignee, a entraine de nombreuses mises au point. (auteur)}
place = {France}
year = {1958}
month = {Jul}
}