A detailed study of the activation of low-reactivity UO2 particles toward HF by successive oxidation and reduction was carried out. The effect of repeated successive oxidation and reduction on the reactivity of the UO2 source material toward HF was evaluated by hydrofluorination.

Multivariate statistical analysis to support the National Uranium Resource Evaluation and to evaluate strategic and other commercially important mineral resources

Thermal neutron measurements made on five weapons during Operation Teapot indicated that these neutrons contribute at most 2 per cent of the total neutron dose in air. However, the total fluxes were high and thermal neutrons may become important under shielding conditions and may significantly affect the responses of the film badges and certain sensitive dose detectors, especially when the neutron to gamma flux ratio is high.

A uranium metal critical assembly consisted of a 15 inch diameter core with an average U235 content of 16-1/4%, surrounded by a 3 inch thick natural uranium reflector. The critical mass was 692 kg of core material.

Data on critical configurations of fissionable metals are summarized in a form emphasizing the influence of conditions commonly of concern in nuclear safety questions.

Certain oralloy (Oy) lattices were immersed in infinite water for determining critical masses at various low-Oy densities. Three Oy unit sizes were used. In a broad sense the experiment shows safe and unsafe conditions for handling heterogeneous Oy-water mixtures.

Discussing samples collected by the Los Alamos National Laboratory for a detailed geochemical survey of uranium in the northern San Andreas Mountains and the Oscura Mountains of south-central New Mexico.

A report discussing data collected during a detailed geochemiccal survey for uranium in streams draining parts of the Browns Park and North Park formations, in Craig, Colorado

A report discussing HSSR results for the eastern portion of the Montrose NTMS Quadrangle

A report discussing a detailed geochemical survey for uranium in and around the Grants mineral belt in New Mexico

Report describing chemical analysis of 62 water and 620 sediment samples during a follow-up geochemical survey to search for uranium in the Pueblo quadrangle.

A report discussing data collected during a geochemical survey for uranium in the southern Powder River Basin

A spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of aluminum in plutonium-aluminum alloys. The alloys are dissolved in parchloric acid and the diluted solution electrolyzed using a mercury cathode to remove any iron present which would interfere in the subsequent analysis. Then plutonium is then separated from the aluminum by precipitation as the insoluble iodate, and the aluminum determined in the supernatant solution using aluminon as a color reagent.

An analytical procedure for 0.04 to 1.6 percent ruthenium in plutonium metal was developed. Determination of ruthenium in metallic plutonium was investigated as part of a program for securing analytical procedures for various metals in plutonium. However, results of the investigation are given in this report with emphasis on the determination of ruthenium in plutonium chloride solutions. Specifically, this report is primarily concerned with the separation and determination of 40 to 400 micrograms of ruthenium in a hydrochloric acid solution of 25 to 100 milligrams of plutonium.

Thorium is determined in uranium alloys by means of a fluoride separation followed by a complexometric titration. A nitric of hydrochloric acid solution of the alloy is neutralized to a pH of 2.0 to 3.0 and the thorium precipitated as thorium fluoride by the addition of hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride using lanthanum as a carrier.

Two methods are described for the quantitative determination of vanadium in uranium-vanadium alloys. A procedure is also described for the quantitative determination of vanadium and chromium in uranium-chromium-vanadium alloys.

Several of the plutonium assay methods were reexamined as part of a continuing effort to make improvements in these frequently used analyses. This investigation included a study of the controlled-potential coulometric, amperometric, potentiometric, and photometric titration methods and their applications to assays of delta-stabilized and alpha plutonium metal.

From foreword: Evaluation of the experimental data on the light isotopes, hydrogen through beryllium, was initiated by LASL in mid-1963. Since the data compilations available were completely inadequate for the task at hand, the tedious program of compiling and plotting was undertaken. As the work progressed an attempt was made to eliminate many of the obvious errors and inconsistencies found in the literature and existing compilations.

Kilogram quantities of delta-stabilized and pure plutonium turnings can be cast directly into ingots of normal quality with high yields. This report describes the equipment and process used.

A new method to procure RaLa sources was proposed by Group CMR-10, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. This method depended upon irradiation of small-diameter U235 wire in the Materials Testing Reactor, Arco, Idaho. A procedure for cladding and sealing U235 wire in stainless steel tubing, by drawing, plugging the tube ends, and welding, was developed, tested, and proved to be satisfactory.

Recent measurements on the long counter efficiency in which comparisons were made with the (n, p) scattering cross section, additional variations in efficiency were found which varied slowly with neutron energy but were still correlated with the total neutron cross section of carbon. Because of these variations in efficiency there are errors in the fission cross sections reported in LA-1714. Corrections to these data have been given here.

The transmissions of neutrons through spherical shells of normal uranium, oralloy, and Pu239 are reported. One group of measurements was made using a pure fission neutron source produced by thermal neutrons. The other group of measurements was made using monoenergetic neutrons. From both groups of measurements, the inelastic scattering cross sections have been determined according to methods developed in Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Report LA-1429 (Jaunary 1955).

Plutonium metal can be injected into cold metal molds to form castings with thin walls. The operation is performed in a vacuum chamber, using an inert gas as the injecting medium. Sound pieces free of gas cavities can be made using either pure or delta-stabilized plutonium. This report describes the equipment and techniques used to cast a typical thin section piece in the form of a 6 in. diameter, 45' cone.

A sphere of LiD 2 feet in diameter was irradiated by 2 x 10<sup>15 14 Mev neutrons. Samples of Li<sup>7 metal were positioned at various radii for the irradiation. An analysis of these samples for tritium led to a determination of the number of tritons produced by 14 Mev neutrons acting on Li<sup>7 in a LiD system.