REPROCESSING OF ARE FUEL, VOLATILITY PILOT PLANT RUNS E-1 AND E-2

After two batches ( approximately 340 kg) of fluoride salt from the ARE were reprocessed, a pilot plant operations were terminated because of a leak through which an estimated 780 g of uranium (as UF/sub 6/ escaped. Of the 21 kg of highly enriched uranium in the feed, 93.12% was collected as UF/sub 6/ product, 0.13% represented measured losses, and 3.72% was unaccounted for (leak). An additional 3.03% was reclaimed from NaF beds and equipment washes. The produce met both chemical purity and activity specifications for product level UF/ sub 6/. Decontamination from fission products was essentially complete. A gross gamma decontamination factor was apparently limited by the low activity of the feed salt. (auth