Magnesium fluoride recovery method
A method of obtaining magnesium fluoride substantially free from radioactive uranium from a slag formed in the production of metallic uranium by the reduction of depleted uranium tetrafluoride with metallic magnesium in a retort wherein the slag contains the free metals magnesium and uranium and also oxides and fluorides of the metals. The slag having a radioactivity level of at least about 7,000 rhoCi/gm. The method comprises the steps of: grinding the slag to a median particle size of about 200 microns; contacting the ground slag in a reaction zone with an acid having a strength of from about 0.5 to 1.5 N for a time of from about 4 to about 20 hours in the presence of a catalytic amount of iron; removing the liquid product; treating the particulate solid product; repeating the last two steps at least one more time to produce a solid residue consisting essentially of magnesium fluoride substantially free of uranium and having a residual radioactivity level of less than about 1000 rhoCi/gm.
- Assignee:
- Rockwell International Corp., El Segundo, CA
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4874599
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-798080A; TRN: 90-008867
- OSTI ID:
- 6991829
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 14 Nov 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
MAGNESIUM FLUORIDES
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANIUM
RETORTING
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MINERAL WASTES
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM OXIDES
WASTE PROCESSING
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
SOLID WASTES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
050700* - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties
052001 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture