METHOD OF PROCESSING URANIUM-CONTAINING COMPOSITIONS Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC G21C19/44 

FIELD: nuclear physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to metallurgy, specifically to methods of processing fuel compositions in form of unwanted fuel cells and rejects and wastes from their production with the aim of producing uranium oxide and its subsequent use in production. The method of processing uranium-containing compositions involves mixing uranium-containing compositions with coal-graphite material in ratio 1.0:0.1-0.3, primary thermal treatment of the composition at temperature 450-650°C for 0.5-2 hours, grinding the formed product to particle size less than 1 mm, mixing with an oxidising agent in ratio 1.0:0.3-0.5, repeated thermal treatment in air at temperature not below 500°C for not less than an hour. After repeated thermal treatment, the formed uranium protoxide-oxide is dissolved in 5-7 M nitric acid for 50-75°C with ratio of solid phase to liquid phase equal to 1.0:1.5-2.0 and calcination of the filtered product at temperature 850-950°C for 4-6 hours.

EFFECT: increased degree of extraction of a uranium-containing component - uranium protoxide-oxide from compositions.