During this period the B Pile operated at its assigned power level of 25 MW below rated level, except for 10 hours on January 5. The operating level of the D Pile remained at 25 MW below rating. The rate gain in excess reactivity during equilibrium operation has been about 1.8 inhours/day. On January 1, the power level of the F Pile was dropped to 25 MW below rating from its previous rated level. Rod A was in a favorable position to make a determination of the reactivity coefficients at the time. The data does indicate an upper limit of {minus}0.21 ih/MW for the metal coefficient. An overall coefficient of 0.20 ih/MW was obtained. The unit was shut down on January 3 for discharge of 129 tubes of metal. A summary of the present reactivity states of the B, D, and F Piles are given. Iron content of process water for the three piles is also given.

This report gives the weekly progress for the B, D, and F piles. The report also gives a brief discussion of the following activities: process water control and pressure drop studies; purging of D, B, and F piles; slug corrosion studies; tube corrosion studies; thimble corrosion studies; and graphite expansion studies.

This report from the reactor fuel manufacturing facilities at Hanford highlights extrusion, canning, and welding operations. Processing of thorium and bismuth is discussed. Radiography of fuels revealed voids that conformed underweight reject measurements.

Research progress was reported in the following areas: (1) plutonium ingestion studies - rates of excretion, fecal and urinary, were determined for subjects who had drunk a solution containing plutonium; and (2) plutonium therapy studies - rats injected with plutonium were administered zirconium citrate and the rate of excretion of the plutonium measured. (ACR)

In continuing studies to characterize and identify fission product activities formed in the piles and appearing in plant dissolver solutions work was done to determine whether or not long-lived isotopes of certain elements were present. Two of the elements in this category were iodine and arsenic. The iodine isotope of particular interest was I{sup 129}. Its tellurium parent has been identified but no daughter activity attributable to iodine has been observed. The arsenic activities of interest were the long-lived isotopes (16 days and 90 days) which have been produced artificially by several different nuclear reactions.

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Report documenting the results of experiments to test the solubility of thorium oxalate in nitric acid solutions and effect of excess oxalic acid. it includes graphed and tabular results: "Tabulation of Results of Oxalate Precipitations."

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Production of black oxide from torbernite was studied on a laboratory scale from the standpoint of uranium extraction, reagent requirements, and removal of impurities. A small portion of the material was examined for its mineral constituents, using optical properties, X-ray diffraction patterns, and chemical analysis for identification. About 50% of the material was quartz; 30% green crystals of a copper-uranium phosphate; 10% of a black mineral, which was not identified, but which appeared to be an oxide mixture of nickel, cobalt, copper, and molybdenum; and small amounts of gibbsite, laterite and feldspar. There were no lower oxides of uranium in the sample.

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