Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Pierre Miquel

Pierre Faugeras

Guy Simonet

Andre Leseur

Andre Chesne

Michele Robaglia

Maurice Anav

Roger Pascard

Pierre Lecoq

Hubert Rouyer

Process for the extraction of fission products contained in irradiated nuclear fuel elements which have been subject to a temperature of at least 1200.degree. C. during their irradiation prior to dissolving the fuel by the wet process. After mechanically treating the elements in order to decan and/or cut them they are brought into contact with water in order to pass the fission products into aqueous solution. The treated elements are then separated from the thus obtained aqueous solution. At least one of the fission products is then recovered from the aqueous solution. The fission products are iodine, cesium, rubidium and tritium.

Process for the extraction of fission products

The method of treatment of a mixture of air and at least partially radioactive gases such as xenon and krypton in particular, especially gaseous effluents derived from the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, comprises a stage of concentration of the rare gases in solution in liquid oxygen by cryogenic distillation of the light gases and especially nitrogen from the liquefied mixture.

Method of treatment of a mixture of air and at least partially

The method comprises the steps of crushing of the ore, neutralization by a mixture of water and sulphuric acid, introduction of a controlled quantity of sulphur dioxide gas at a pH value between 1.5 and 4 for promoting dissolution of nickel, copper and a desired quantity of manganese, leaching of the ore with sulphuric acid at a pH value between 1 and 3 for selectively dissolving the nickel and copper, separation of the solid and liquid phases, and separation of the metals contained in the liquid phase.

Extraction of metals from sea nodules

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Chatillon, France

Pierre Miquel