[ RadSafe ] Fw: [NoMoreDU] Fw: DU bill PASSED!! New challenge:Gov.Lingle

[Dan W McCarn]

Hi Mike:

 

I found the IAEA reference about U234 radiological issues with ISL Uranium
mining and it was the 2004 IAEA TECDOC 1396 from Georges Campus (Cogema),
p.213-220.  The following is the abstract to that paper:

 

 <http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/te_1396_web.pdf>
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/te_1396_web.pdf

 

Downstream constraints on product specification and ISL mining methods

G. Capus, COGEMA, Velizy, Cedex, France

 

Abstract. As uranium is more and more considered as a commodity, miners are
producing natural uranium "as it comes out of the ground", forgetting
sometimes that its isotopic composition can vary. Focusing on the 234U

content of commercial concentrates coming from mining operations, it is
reported that some batches are presenting difficulties. For these batches,
ASTM C996 Standard specification requirements are not always met. It seems
that this is only the case for certain uranium batches recovered through
solution mining. Out of specification batches reaching the market now are
more likely to cause problems than in the past. The main reason is that
downstream from the front-end of the fuel cycle, the average U235 assay
tends to increase significantly with the fuel burnups. And the economic
ratio between uranium and SWUs prices is leading towards high tails assay.
As ISL is increasing its output, it is important to understand the
phenomenon at its roots and analyze the consequences of the problem. This
paper is aimed at recalling the major facts explaining the U234 content
variations and their potential consequences. To conclude, possible
mitigation measures are discussed.