A method and a cutter are disclosed for producing a large cavity filled with a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale or other material, for in-situ processing. A raise drill head has a hollow body with a generally circular base and sloping upper surface. A hollow shaft extends from the hollow body. Cutter teeth are mounted on the upper surface of the body and relatively small holes are formed in the body between the cutter teeth. Relatively large peripheral flutes around the body allow material to drop below the drill head. A pilot hole is drilled into the oil shale deposit. The pilot hole is reamed into a large diameter hole by means of a large diameter raise drill head or cutter to produce a cavity filled with rubble. A flushing fluid, such as air, is circulated through the pilot hole during the reaming operation to remove fines through the raise drill, thereby removing sufficient material to create sufficient void space, and allowing the larger particles to fill the cavity and provide a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale.

Americium is separated from mixtures containing plutonium, other actinides, and other non-lanthamide impurities, by a combined process of anion exchange resin sorption to remove plutonium, and a bidentate organophosphorus solvent extraction of americium of the anion exchange resin effluent. Dihexyl-N,N-diethylcarbamylmethylenephosphonate is a preferred solvent. The initial mixture may be subjected to a cation exchange operation to remove monovalent impurities. The process is especially effective when aluminum, zinc, lead, and copper are present in significant quantities in the original mixture.

A system and method are provided for controlling the storing and release of thermal energy from a thermal storage wall wherein said wall is capable of storing thermal energy from insolation. The system and method includes a device such as a plurality of louvers spaced a predetermined distance from the thermal wall for regulating the release of thermal energy from the thermal wall. This regulating device is made from a material which is substantially transparent to the incoming solar radiation so that when it is in any operative position, the thermal storage wall substantially receives all of the impacting solar radiation. The material in the regulating device is further capable of being substantially opaque to thermal energy so that when the device is substantially closed, thermal release of energy from the storage wall is substantially minimized. An adjustment device is interconnected with the regulating mechanism for selectively opening and closing it in order to regulate the release of thermal energy from the wall.