METHOD FOR REMOVING OXIDES OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS DURING REMELTING OF METAL URANIUM Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC C22B9/16 C22B60/02 

FIELD: nuclear technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of recycling of irradiated nuclear fuel, in particular, pyroelectrochemical technology for recycling irradiated nuclear fuel, at the stage of remelting of metal uranium. Proposed is a method for remelting metal uranium containing impurities of oxides of rare earth elements, wherein a salt flux is added to the melt of metal uranium containing impurities of oxides of rare earth elements, sustained at a temperature from 1,200 to 1,400°C for 3 to 4 hours until complete dissolution of the oxides of rare earth elements in the flux, followed by separating the salt phase from the melt of metal uranium by decantation. An equimolar mixture of calcium and barium fluorides CaF₂-BaF₂ 50 to 50 mol.% or a mixture of calcium chloride and fluoride CaCl₂-CaF₂ 25 to 75 mol.% is used as a salt flux.

EFFECT: invention provides a high degree of purification of metal uranium from rare earth elements due to the reduction in the content of oxides of rare earth elements in the melt of metal uranium supplied for electrorefining.

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