In the separation of mixtures of radioactive iron and cobalt from neutron irradiated targets and in the removal of iron from cobalt targets for cyclotron production of radioiron, it is desirable to have a method superior to extraction from isopropyl ether in efficiency and ease of manipulation. Recent studies by Moore and Kraus on the separation of cobalt and nickel and on the behavior of iron in hydrochloric acid on Dowex-l resin in relation to the selective adsorption of chloride complexes of these elements have suggested the use of resin for the separation of iron and cobalt.

Fragments of radioactive materials were deposited in the Redox area during August, 1953. By radiation monitoring, the location, physical properties, and dosage were determined. The cause was assumed to be the buildup of ammonium nitrate containing ruthenium on the filters of the Redox stack. The amount of occupational exposure, and the reasons why this incident happened were also discussed.

This document presents a summary of work and progress at the Hanford Engineer Works for July 1953. The report is divided into sections by department. A plant wide general summary is included at the beginning of the report, after which the departmental summaries begin. The Manufacturing Department reports plant statistics, and summaries for the Metal Preparation, Reactor and Separation sections. The Engineering Department`s section summaries work for the Technical, Design, and Project Sections. Costs for the various departments are presented in the Financial Department`s summary. The Medical, Radiological Sciences, Utilities and General Services, Employee and Public Relations, and Community Real Estate and Services departments have sections presenting their monthly statistics, work, progress, and summaries.

Preliminary observations on tritium production fro extracted Z slugs in the H-10 load indicated yields which were lower than those calculated by approximately twenty percent. The calculated conversion efficiency for loading is 0.835. Results of a measurement of the conversion efficiency for three separate tubes are reported and found to be lower than 0.835 by approximately twenty percent, or very nearly the same as the discrepancy in tritium production. The values measured are 0.67, 0.61, and 0.60 for the three tubes respectively. Details of 25 burnup calculations are also presented with a measured depletion factor of 0.584 grams of 25 destroyed. Reasons for the large discrepancy in conversion efficiency are not known at the present time. However, some possibilities are discussed.

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A comparison between the performance of the d-c unit as a pump and as a generator is presented.

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Preliminary results are reported on the coating of U by immersion in nonreacting molten Mg saturated with Zr, Ni, or Si. A corrosion analysis of the resulting Mg-- Zr outer coat was performed on one failure occurring in boiling water. Further experiments are described on the corrosion testing of Cu-plated and Zn-dipped U. Improvements in the Zn-dip process are uncertain, however, because hot-dip Zn coats show comparable corrosion characteristics. Investigations have been conducted on the casting of U in cans of Zr,U, and Nb-- U alloys. Information was accumulated on the nature of the bonding characteristics, thermal treatment, and corrosion testing of such canning techniques. A new series of U-Nb alloys has been prepared for the purpose of studying the phase transformations of U. Data are given for the fabrication, phase characteristics, and physical and chemical properties of the series. Resistance-temperature curves were determined for U--Mo alloys, in addition to studies of corrosion and grain size in U--Zr--Hb alloys. A method is proposed for determining the thermal conductivity of U from diffusivity measurements. (C.H.)

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