Calculated data and graphs describing the effects of batch thermal-neutron irradiations on the buildup of fission products in natural uranium, enriched uranium, and thorium are presented together with empirical equations and plots correlating total fission product activities and/or decontamination factors. Fluxes of 1012-1015 are considered.

This technical report reports progress in the following areas: (1) Effect of scaling time; (2) Influence of specimen shape; (3) Effect of pretreatment; (4) Possible mechanism of growth; and (5) Future work.

The use of a reactor charged with silver nitrate coated packing for removal of radio-iodine from the waste gases of Hanford chemical processing plants has been successful in removing approximately 99.5 percent of this activity. Studies by the Radiological Sciences Department indicated the desirability of further reducing the amount of radio-iodine released to the atmosphere. Therefore, this study was undertaken with the objectives of better understanding the inherent limitations to iodine removal by reaction with silver nitrate, and improving the efficiency of removal of iodine.

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.

Report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Mines discussing surveys conducted on the motor gasoline sold during the summer of 1955. The amount, location, and price of gasoline sold during this time are presented. This report includes tables, illustrations, and a map.

Annual report submitted by the Boy Scouts of America to Congress describing highlights from 1955, activities, organizational leadership, and other information about scouting programs.

Well-type scintillation counters have found use in many radiochemical laboratories. A gamma scintillation well counter has been used to measure the gamma activity of liquid samples in the 325 Building counting room for about a year. This well counter has been built and calibrated so that gamma activity measurements made with it can be easily compared with measurements made with the gamma scintillation counter (GSC). The well counter is electronically identical to the present GSC and differs only in the shape of the crystal used and the physical arrangement of the lead shield. The crystal contains a well which allows a tube containing the sample to be inserted in the crystal. The physical arrangement of the detector greatly simplifies the preparation of liquid samples for activity measurement. The 325 Building well counter and its application to chemical research and plant process analysis will be discussed in the following paragraphs. An operating procedure is also included.

A report about the optical properties of rutherfordine.

A knowledge of the preferred orientation of the crystal aggregates in pile structural materials is of basic importance in the attempt to understand their behavior under operating conditions. The effect of a preferential alignment of crystallites in enisotropic materials is to create a directional variation in physical and mechanical properties. In most applications directional effects are undesirable and efforts are usually made during fabrication to avoid the conditions which cause the orientation or, if possible, to alleviate the condition by proper heat treatments after the forming process if the orientation persists. Some of the variables that affect the type and degree of preferred orientation is metals during the forming process include working temperature, per cent reduction, the nature of the applied forces used, the crystal structure, and the inherent deformation mechanisms of the metal.

A report about aluminum-clad fuel elements, fuel-element development, zirconium uranium alloys, corrosion of zirconium, and reactor material development.

The kinetics of transformation of zirconium binary alloys is being pursued. Mechanical property variation as a function of transformation if also being investigated. Zirconium-tin and zirconium-titanium alloys transform very rapidly when quenched from the beta field. These alloys have, generally speaking, been demonstrated to be not amenable to heat treatment in the normal sense of the word. Eutectoid alloys, principally zirconium-molybdenum alloys, have shown a definite response to heat treatment in terms of mechanical property variation. An embrittling agent, probably "omega" phase, is suspect at this time for the brittleness observed in certain molybdenum alloys and the very high hardness levels reached in other alloys such as zirconium-niobium and zirconium-thorium. Work to establish the existence of omega phase is in progress and, it is hoped, suggestions for avoiding the brittle condition associated with it will be forthcoming.

From abstract: Areas of abnormal radioactivity south of Ocala, Marion County, Fla., discovered in 1953 by aerial survey, were investigated by surface examination and by 10 power auger drill holes. Interbedded clay, clayey sand, and uraniferous phosphorite occur in the areas of anomalous radioactivity. Miocene fossils occur at three localities in these beds which are evidently outliers of Miocene sediments on the Ocala limestone of Eocene age. The preserved outliers are southwest of the main belt of Miocene sediments. The principal uraniferous rocks are clayey, sandy, pellet phosphorite that occurs in beds a few feet thick, and very porous, phosphatic sand rock which makes abundant float at many places. Apatite forms the phosphate pellets in the unweathered phosphorite. The very porous, phosphatic sand rock is the highly leached residuum of the pellet phosphorite and is composed mainly of quartz, kaolinite, wavellite, and crandallite ( pseudowavellite2). It closely resembles the aluminum phosphate rock of the "leached zone" of the Bone Valley formation in the land-pebble phosphate district.

Report discussing the geology and numerous ore deposits of the Chicago Creek area in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Prior to this report, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and uranium were produced from this area.

Report issued by the Bureau of Mines over investigations of Coking Coal reserves of Van Buren County, Tennessee. Testing to determine suitability for producing metallurgical coke is also presented. This report includes tables, maps, and illustrations.

Monthly newsletter of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, discussing the field of underground water. Topics include profiles of water conservation research, annual pre-plant soil moisture survey data, annual Winter Water Level measurement data, and information about the latest water conservation tips.

Abstract: Uranium was discovered on the Silver King claims in the fall of 1953. The claims are on the west flank of the Sheeprock Mountains in the eastern part of the Erickson mining district, Tooele County, Utah. Uraninite occurs in north- to northwest-trending copper-nickel-silver bearing fissure veins near the margin of a granitic stock of probable late Tertiary age. Sedimentary rocks in contact with the granite are chiefly dolomite and quartzite of Middle and Upper Ordovician age. Diamond drilling on this property did not disclose significant amounts of uranium; however, encouraging showings have been found by underground exploration by the owner.

The Internal exponential Exponential Experiment (ZPR-V) will be constructed by loading up to 49 of the fuel cans, containing up to 155 kg of U235, of the present Fast Exponential Experiment in a 22-in. square iron tank, surrounded by an annular thermal region of fully enriched light water lattice 10 to 15 cm thick. This assembly will be placed in a 5-ft diameter tank which will, in turn, be located in the 10-ft diameter ZPR-II tank, the annular space between the outer tanks containing water for shielding. The new experiment will be a well-shielded, strongly coupled fast-thermal system. It will be possible to make measurements that cannot be made on the present Fast Exponential Experiment. One category of such determinations is the study of reactivity effects produced in the fast core, including control scheme studies and danger coefficient and oscillator measurements of such effects as Doppler coefficients and effect of lumping and streaming. The higher flux and excellent shielding will make beam studies of energy spectrum practical. Additional foil activations will be possible. Characteristics of mixed fast-thermal systems, which are of potential importance as power breeders, can be studied.

M-388 is an aluminum alloy consisting of 2S aluminum with an addition of 1% nickel. Preliminary corrosion studies which were conducted by Dreley and by Dillon indicated that the material exhibited excellent resistance to intergranular type of corrosion in distilled water at temperatures of up to 350 C. The combination of a low thermal neutron cross-section and good corrosion resistance make M-388 alloy a candidate material for use in reactor process tubes and fuel element cans. The purpose of the study was to determine some of the mechanical properties of M-388 aluminum alloy at room temperature and at elevated temperatures.

This quarterly progress report of the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project at ORNL records the technical progress of the research on circulating-fuel reactors and other ANP research at the Laboratory under its Contract W-7405-eng-26. The report is divided into three major parts: I. Reactor Theory, Component Development, and Construction, II. Materials Research, and III. Shielding Research. The ANP Project is comprised of about 530 technical and scientific personnel engaged in many phases of research directed forward the achievement of nuclear propulsion of aircraft. A considerable portion of this research is performed in support of the work of other organizations participating in the national ANP effort. However, the bulk of the ANP research at ORNL is directed toward the development of a circulating-fuel type of reactor. The design, construction, and operation of the Aircraft Reactor Test (ART), with the cooperation of the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division, are the specific objectives of the project. The ART is to be a power plant system that will include a 60-Mv circulating-fuel reflector-moderated reactor and adequate means for heat disposal. Operation of the system will be for the purpose of determining the feasibility, and the problems associated with the design, construction, and operation, of a …

Considerable interest has been shown at HAPO in the development of a continuous ion exchange process for concentrating plutonium solutions. Development work has been performed on continuous ion exchange for both uranium and plutonium concentrations at the X-10 at ORNL. On a recent trip to Oak Ridge to discuss critical mass problems and experiments with Dr. A. D. Callihan of the ORNL critical mass facility, a meeting was also held with C. W. Hancher and R. Higgins of X-10 regarding continuous ion exchange operation. From this meeting, information was obtained that is helpful to work out nuclear safety aspects of such a plant for the concentration of plutonium solutions. An advance copy of "Countercurrent Ion Exchange" by T. A. Arehart, J. C. Bresee, C. W. Hancher, and S. H. Jury was obtained. This paper is to be presented at an AIChE meeting this fall. Preliminary blue prints of ORNL-3" Ion Exchange column design were also obtained. Upon my return to HAPO, a meeting was held with members of the Process Planning, Equipment Development, and Chemical Engineering Development Units of the Chemical Engineering Sub-Section (Separations Technology) to present the document and blue prints on continuous ion exchange and arrive at a …

Knowledge of the effects of interaction between vessels or units containing fissionable material is important for the safe handling, storage, and shipping of these containers. Expressions for the effect of neutron interaction on criticality have been derived for the cases of bare and tamped spheres as well as tamped, infinitely tall cylinders containing fissionable material. The method considered did not apply to the interaction between bae cylinders. In practice, the interaction between vessels in a separations plant or between storage units in an array more nearly approaches the bare condition than it does the tamped condition. The formulation of a method that is applicable to bare or water-tamped and to tall or short vessels will be presented at this time.

A report discussing features of uranium that may be important in searching for and appraising deposits.

To forestall the oxidation of graphite in HAPO reactors, a process specification provides that the oxygen concentration in pile gas should be kept to a minimum. Close control in maintaining this limit is difficult when only periodic samples are taken because laboratory results are always obtained long after any required corrections should have been made. A continuous-type analyzer that provides immediate knowledge of the oxygen concentration eliminates these time delays.

An alpha scintillation method for the analysis of uranium accumulation in plants as an indicator of uranium deposits in the soil was developed.