• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.601-609
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• 1994

Uranium resources of Mongolia are generally confined to sediments deposited during Jurassic to Cretaceous volcanism. Territory of Mongolian uranium deposits is divided into four districts as follows; Mongol-Priargun, Gobi-Tamtsag, Hentii-Dauer, North-Mongolian. Potential uranium deposits were discovered by Airborne Gamma ray Spectrometric Survey(AGSM). One of them, Haraat deposit, which was interested to us, has been under detailed survey for exploitation by one of American companies, Concord company. The Erdes uranium mine is partly operated by about hundred Russian staffs at the open pit, while underground mining facilities such as the main hoist are almost closed. Ore minerals of the Erdes Mine are coffinite and pitchblende. Uranium content in ore ranges from 0.06% to 1%, averaging 0.2%. Ore reserves of uranium ore in the Dornod deposit including the Erdes Mine accounts 29,000 ton. It is reported that Uranium resources of Mongolia are 1,471,000 ton.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.929-936
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• 2018

A basic characterization of uranium samples was performed using gamma- and X-ray spectroscopy. The studied uranium samples were eight types of certified reference materials with $^{235}U$ enrichments in the range of 1-97%, and the measurements were performed over 24 h using a high-resolution and high-purity planar germanium detector. A general peak analysis of the spectrum and the $XK_{\alpha}$ region of the uranium spectra was carried out by using HyperGam and HyperGam-U, respectively. The standard reference sources were used to calibrate the spectroscopy system. To obtain the absolute detection efficiency, an effective solid angle code, EXVol, was run for each sample. Hence, the peak activities and isotopic activities were determined, and then, the total U content and $^{234}U$, $^{235}U$, and $^{238}U$ isotopic contents were determined and compared with those of the certified reference values. A new method to determine the model age based on the ratio of the activities of $^{223}Ra$ and $^{235}U$ in the sample was studied, and the model age was compared with the known true age. In summary, the present study developed a method for basic characterization of uranium samples by nondestructive gamma-ray spectrometry in 24 h and to obtain information on the sample age.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.1931-1938
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• 2021

Uranium ingot is produced by metallothermic reduction of uranium tetrafluoride using magnesium or calcium as reductant. Presence of oxygen containing compounds viz. uranyl fluoride and uranium oxide in the starting uranium fluoride has a significant effect on the firing time, final temperature of the charge, slag-metal separation and hence the metal recovery. As reported in the literature, the maximum tolerable limit for uranyl fluoride in the UF₄ is 2.5 wt% and limit for uranium oxide content is in the range 2-3 wt%. No theoretical or experimental basis is available till date for these limits. Analyses have been carried out in this study to understand the effect of UO₂F₂ concentration in the starting fluoride on the final temperature of the products and thus the reduction characteristics. UF₄ having uranyl fluoride concentration, less than as well as more than 2.5 wt%, have been investigated. Thermodynamic calculations have been carried out to arrive at a general expression for the final temperature attained by the products during calciothermic reduction of UF₄. Finally, an upper limit for the oxygen containing impurities has been estimated using the CaO-CaF₂ phase diagram.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2017

Electrorefining is a key step in pyroprocessing. The electrorefining process is generally composed of two recovery steps - the deposit of uranium onto a solid cathode and the recovery of the remaining uranium and TRU elements simultaneously by a liquid cadmium cathode. The solid cathode processing is necessary to separate the salt from the cathode since the uranium deposit in a solid cathode contains electrolyte salt. Distillation process was employed for the cathode processing. It is very important to increase the throughput of the salt separation system due to the high uranium content of spent nuclear fuel and high salt fraction of uranium dendrites. In this study, a mesh-covered crucible was investigated for the sat distillation of electrorefiner uranium deposits. A liquid salt separation step and a vacuum distillation step were combined for salt separation. The adhered salt in uranium deposits was efficiently removed in the mesh-covered crucible. The salt distiller was operated simply since repeated cooling - heating step was not necessary for the change of the crucible. The operation time could be reduced by the use of the mesh-covered crucible and the combined operation of the two steps. A method to preserve a vacuum level was proposed by double O-rings during the operation of the distiller with the mesh-covered crucible. After the salt distillation, the salt content was measured and was below 0.1wt% after the salt distillation. The residual salt after the salt distillation can be removed further during melting of uranium metal.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.651-663
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• 2018

The hydrochemistry of groundwater from 47 wells in the Chungwon area, Korea was analyzed to examine the occurrence of natural radionuclides like uranium and radon. The range of Electrical Conductivity (EC) value in the study area was $67{\sim}1,404{\mu}S/cm$. In addition to the high EC value, the content of cations and anions also tends to increase. Uranium concentrations ranged from $ND{\sim}178{\mu}g/L$ (median value, $0.8{\mu}g/L$) and radon concentrations ranged from 80~12,900 pCi/L (median value, 1,250 pCi/L). Uranium concentrations in one well, that is 2.8% of the samples, exceeded $30{\mu}g/L$, which is the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), based on the chemical toxicity of uranium. Radon concentrations in three wells, that is 6% of the samples, and one well, that is 2.8% of the samples, exceeded 4,000 pCi/L (AMCL of the US EPA) and 8,100 pCi/L (Finland's guideline level), respectively. Concentrations of uranium and radon related to geology of the study area show the highest values in the groundwater of the granite area. The uranium and radon contents in the groundwater were found to be low compared to those of other countries with similar geological settings. It is likely that the measured value was lower than the actual content due to the inflow of shallow groundwater by the lack of casing and grouting.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 1997

This study Provides the treatment methods of liquid wastes from the dissolution/purification process of nuclear fuel raw material and the fabrication process of nuclear fuel powder. One of the treatment methods is to process liquid waste from uranium raw material dissolution/purification process. This waste, of the strong acid, can be reused to dissolve the fine ADU particles in filtrate which is ADU waste of pH 8.0 converted from AUC waste after recovery of uranium. To dissolve the fine ADU particles, ADU filtrate was pretreated to pH 4.0 with the dissolution/purification waste, and then mixed with the lime to pH 9.2 and aged for 30 minutes. From this processing, uranium content of the filtrate was decreased to below 3ppm. The waste from fuel powder fabrication is emulsified solution dispersed with fine oil droplets. This emulsion was destroyed effectively by adding and mixing the nitric acid with rapid heating at the same time. After this processing, $Na_2U_2O_7$ compound is produced by addition of NaOH. Optimum condition of this processing was shown at pH 11.5, and uranium content of the filtrate was analyzed to 5ppm. To remove the trace of uranium in the filtrate, lime should be added. Otherwise, 4N nitric acid was used to destroy the emulsion directly, and then lime was added to this waste. Uranium content of the treated filtrate was below 1 ppm. In addition to these wastes, the trace of uranium in filtrate after recovery of uranium from the AUC waste which is produced during PWR power preparation, is treated with NaOH to takeup fluorine(F) in the waste because fluorine is valuable and toxic material. In the finally treated waste, uranium was not detected.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

1-Aza-12-crown-4 macrocyclic ligand was combined with styrene (2th petroleum in 4th class hazardous materials) divinylbenzene copolymer having 1%, 2%, 3%, and 6% crosslinks by a substitution reaction, in order to synthesize resin. These synthetic resins were confirmed by chlorine content, elementary analysis and IR-spectrum. As the results of the effects of pH, equilibrium arrival time, crosslink of synthetic resin, and dielectric constant of a solvent on uranium ion adsorption for resin adsorbent, the uranium ion showed high adsorption at pH 3 or over and adsorption equilibrium of uranium ion was about 2 hours. In addition, adsorption selectivity for the resin in methanol solvent was the order of uranium ($UO_2{^{2+}}$) > iron ($Fe^{3+}$) > lutetium ($Lu^{3+}$) ions, adsorbability of the uranium ion was in the crosslinks order of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 6% was increased with the lower dielectric constant.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2867-2873
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• 2020

In reprocessed uranium, derived from an impoverished fuel of light-water moderated reactors, there are isotopes of ^{232, 234, 236}U, which make its recycling remarkably difficult. A method of concentration of ²³⁵U target isotope in cascade's additional product was proposed to recover the isotopic composition of reprocessed uranium. A general calculation procedure is presented and a parameters' optimization of multi-flow cascades with additional products. For the first time a numeric model of a cascade that uses the cuts of partial flows of stages with relatively high separation factors was applied in this procedure. A novel computing experiment is carried out on separation of reprocessed uranium hexafluoride with providing a high concentration of ²³⁵U in cascade's additional product with subsequent dilution. The parameters of cascades' stages are determined so as to allow reducing the ^{232, 234, 236}U isotope content up to the acceptable. It was demonstrated that the dilution of selected products by the natural waste makes it possible to receive a low enriched uranium hexafluoride that meets the ASTM C996-15 specification for commercial grade.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the source of U anormaly formed in stream water of the drainage system around the Shinbo talc mine area based on the hydrochemical properties of water masses including surface water and groundwater. The hydrochemical properties of water masses in the Shinbo talc mine area are divide into three types; Type I : $Ca(Mg)SO_4$ type with high U content as shown in the stream water flowout from the mine, Type II : $Ca(HCO_3)_2$ type with high U content as in deep groundwater, Type III : $Ca(HCO_3)_2$, type with low U content as in the other stream water and shallow groundwater. It is necessary to emphasize that in deducing the uranium source, a distinct discrimination between type I and type II is showed in their hydrothermal properties in spite of commonly having a high uranium content, which in turn means the occurrence of a different water-rock interaction processes between both type. All evidences suggest that type II groundwater have acted as a primary media in the transport of uranium and that, as the groundwater flows through the talc mineralization zone, water composition of type II was transformed into that of type I water as the results of a secondary water rock interaction process, caused by imposition of new mineralogically controlled thermodynamic constraints. Consequently, in the viewpoint of hydrochemical exploration, the investigation of the hydrologic circulation system and the hydrogeologic properties for the aquifer of type II groundwater shall be done first of all and will provide a crucial clue on tracing the uranium mineralization zone occurred in the Shinbo talc mine area.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.225-230
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• 2001

The aim of this study is to describe a usefulness of nuclear analytical technique in assessing and comparing the concentration levels through the analysis of uranium using human hair sample in the field of environment. A fission track detection technique was applied to determine the uranium concentration in human hair. Hair samples were collected from two groups of people - a) workers not dealing with uranium directly, and b) workers possibly contaminated with uranium. The concentration of $^{235}$ U for the first group varied from <1 to 39 ng/g and the second group can be estimated up to the level of $\mu$g/g. Radiographs of heavy-duty work samples contained high dense “hot spots” along a single hair. After washing in acetone and distilled water, external contamination was not totally removed. Insoluble uranium compounds were not completely washed out. The (n, f)- radiography technique, having high sensitivity, and capable of getting information on uranium content at each point of a single hair, is an excellent tool for environmental monitoring.