Monthly magazine discussing natural resources, parks, hunting and fishing, and other information related to the outdoors in Texas.

Part I of this report covers critical-mass determinations for pseudospheres of oralloy hydride composition (approximating UH3) in 8"-thick Tu and Ni tampers and in the Tu tamper with Ni liner. The critical mass of a hydride cube in the thick Tu also is given. Data on weight and dimensional changes of hydride pieces during the period of use are included. In Part II are presented the results of Rossi time-scale measurements on the hydride assemblies. Values of alpha at delayed critical and its variation with mass in the neighborhood of delayed critical are given. Measurements on the activation of various detectors within the hydride assemblies are described in Part III. Results as a function of radial position are given for Au, for Au shielded by Au and by Cd, for S and for fission catchers with U235 and U238. Reactivity changes resulting from the introduction of foreign materials into the hydride assemblies are discussed in Part IV. Apparent regularities with respect to Z and qualitative interpretations of variations with radius are pointed out. From data for various radial positions, changes in critical mass corresponding to small changes in composition and density are computed.

A report regarding a Trace Elements Reconnaissance of the Southern Highway Belt, in South-Central Alaska.

A report regarding factual data obtained during an examination of the copper King Shaft, Black Hawk Claim no. 1, Larimer County, Colorado. This report is designed to provide the owners with the factual data obtained from their property in accordance with the Agreement for Mineral Exploration with them.

An analysis of a potential uranium deposit in the Sheeprock Mountains, Utah.

Technical report describing the Brookhaven National Laboratory nuclear reactor and the physical studies of heat transfer and efficiency conducted to improve nuclear reactor operations.

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A method has been adapted from ion exchange studies for removal of the fission products, Cs-137, Sr-90, and the rare earths for both untreated urine samples and the supernates from the precipitation steps in the TTA procedure for plutonium. Because of the excessive amount of eluant necessary to separate the fission products and the resulting time required to run a separation, a method was developed to remove the Sr-Y, Ce and Pr by chemical means and Cs from the raffinate of this extraction by ion exchange. It should be noted that Cs is easily separated from Pu in the separations plant, and that is presence as a contaminate in the outer areas is not as probable as the other long-lived fission products. This fact has been born out in three years of analyzing contaminated samples from the 200 Area by the H.I. Development Divisions.

The Metal Conversion Process described herein is designed to handle the combined output of decontaminated uranium from both the Redox and T.B.P. processes. Thus the design rate is 13-1/8 short tons per day. The bulk of the equipment is to be installed in the presently unused 224-U Building. The feed storage tanks, the gas absorber and gas cooler will be outside but adjacent to this building. The process has been divided into two steps: acid recovery and uranyl nitrate concentration; and uranyl nitrate conversion. The major items of equipment and flows thru the plant are shown on Engineers` Flow Sketches, numbered SK-2-50005, and Sk-2-50006.

From introduction: "This report is concerned with exploratory experiments designed to studies the efficiency of a number of scavengers for zirconium and niobium adsorption and to provide preliminary information on the best conditions to employ on the most satisfactory of those scavengers studied, namely Super Filtrol FO. The data in this report include data obtained through October, 1949, and are by no means considered to be final. The investigation is currently being actively continued."

Objective: "The laboratory equilibrium study RC-E-1 described in this report was carried out to obtain uranium equilibrium curves at various concentrations of nitric acid and of TBP."

The following report provides results from laboratory tests on the corrosion resistance of various types of stellite facings on astenitic stainless steel T-347 to Redox streams.

Report summarizing physical studies on Redox solutions and metal waste solutions, including refractometric investigations.

Report discussing study on recovery of nitric acid in the uranium recovery process. The behavior of chloride ions and tributyl phophate is noted, and the quality of recycled nitric acid was tested. Stainless steel in the nitric acid recovery system was evaluated for corrosion.

The following report describes a chemical procedure to analyze fission products and long-lived rare earths in both untreated urine samples and the supernates from the precipitation steps in the TTA procedure for plutonium.

The following report contains two parts on the analysis of astatine, neptunium and plutonium. Part A discusses a bent crystal focusing X-ray spectrometer that has been designed and built for the observation of the X-and gamma-rays emitted in association with radioactive decay. The instrument uses proportional counter detection and is described, as well as associated electronic circuits. The plutonium L X-rays from Cm-242 and the neptunium L X-rays from Am-241 have been measures. Values of the energies and abundances are reported. Then in Part B, it discusses some isotopes of astatine hitherto unreported that have been observed in bombardments of bismuth on the University of California 184" cyclotron.

The following report describes the electron spectrum of protactinium derived from 23 minute thorium 233 that was produced by neutron capture in stable thorium.

Report discussing a performance evaluation of the Thermal Test Unit, a piece of test equipment fabricated to "aid the Hanford Works in experimentally determining heat transfer characteristics for a particular application."

The following report is meant to record the premises upon which the site plan for the NTR is already established.

This report covers an investigation meant to find the feasibility of producing corrosion resistant zirconium from sponge by special melting techniques. The zirconium metal has certain required specifications, such as: the metal must be free from bafnium, and it must be free from other impurities of undesirable neutron cross section.

A comprehensive survey of the literature was made in an effort to identify nonmetallic materials of possible usefulness as liquid coolants. Materials having maximum melting points of 1000 deg F and boiling points of l200 deg F were considered, but boiling points above 2200 deg F were preferred. Melting points, boiling points, densities, heat capacities, and thermal conductivities were tabulated. Approximately 190 materials appeared to have melting and boiling temperatures in a suitable range. A paucity of thermal- conductivty and heat-capacity data prevented further estimates of suitability of all but nine of these materials. Of these nine nonmetallics, only sodium hydroxide appeared to offer possibilities when considered according to the NEPA formula. (M.C.G.)

Abstract: An early report on the Cape Nome area, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, stated that granitic rocks there contain allanite as a common accessory mineral. Results of studies in 1947 indicate that very little allanite is present, and that the slight amount of radioactiity of the granitic complex is attributable to the accessory minerals zircon and sphene.

Abstract: "Two uranium-bearing minerals, uranothorianite and thorite(?), were found in the stream gravels of the main branch of the South Fork of Quartz Creek, a tributary of the Kiwalik River. Although the bedrock source of the minerals was not located, the radioactive material was traced in slope wash well above the stream gravel. A detailed investigation of the area with more sensitive counters might reveal the source of the minerals and localities where the minerals are sufficiently concentrated to be minable."

Abstract: A radiometric reconnaissance of the areas adjacent to the principal highways and secondary roads of south-central Alaska was carried out during the summer of 1947. The investigation included the examination of nine gold-placer workings, five gold lodes, a gypsum mine, and a copper prospect. Nearly all of the lithologic types outcropping in the highway belt were tested. No significant amounts of radioactive material were found.