METHOD FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: recovery of uranium-containing compound including uranium-beryllium compounds. SUBSTANCE: uranium-beryllium compound is melted and beryllium is distilled off melt under vacuum pressure not over 1•10^-4 mm Hg at a temperature of at least 1500-1550 C. Beryllium vapors are condensed. Nonvolatile residue is crystallized. Annealing is carried out in atmosphere at temperature not lower than 500 C for at least an hour. Uranium mixed oxide obtained in the process is treated with nitric acid and heated to boiling temperature. Impurities are filtered off nitric solution of uranyl nitrate. Uranium is subjected to peroxide cleaning by reprecipitating it from solution with hydrogen peroxide at pH=1.5-2. Peroxide obtained is annealed in atmosphere at 750-800 C and uranium mixed oxide is cleaned again. Beryllium condensate is distilled in vacuum at pressure nor over 1•10^-5 mm Hg and a temperature not higher than 1400-1500 C. EFFECT: improved efficiency of process.