This report, for July 1957 from the Chemical Processing Department at HAPO, discusses the following; Production operation; Purex and Redox operation; Finished products operation; maintenance; Financial operations; facilities engineering; research; and employee relations.

A previous investigation concerned with liquid-core fuel elements and the materials from which they could be constructed revealed tht an alloy of U--5 wt. % Nb had considerable promise as container material. Results are given from a further investigation of this alloy, as well as another containing 10 wt. % Nb, to determine the time and temperature limits within which tbe oxide layer remains protective, the factors which hasten or delay the breakdown of the film, and the mechanism whereby the film deteriorites, (auth)