U.M. Staebier reports from the pile areas. Foil tests were conducted at the B pile. A power coefficient test was performed at the D pile; special request materials and reactivity balance are also reported. The new No. 2 horizontal rod of the F pile has been slightly resized. Graphite temperature readings, thermal conductivity calculations, special request materials, and reactivity balance are also reported. General physics are considered. Production tests 105-85-P and 106-1-P are reported. Egg testing at the 305 test pile is discussed. (GHH)

None

In the ether extraction process, as originally developed, purified uranium dioxide was obtained by evaporation and calcination of the uranyl nitrate solution, followed by calcination of the resultant UO{sub 3}. It was suggested that an alternate procedure might be developed, involving the precipitation of uranium from the nitrate solution as ammonium diuranate. This material could then be calcined to uranosic acid, or reduced directly to the dioxide. It had already been established that ammonium diuranate could be precipitated completely from uranyl nitrate solutions. Experiments were carried out to determine whether a basic nitrate, analogous to a known sulfate salt, would be formed in the process. Both direct reduction of the diuranate to UO{sub 2} and calcination to uranosic acid were investigated to determine the physical characteristics and residual nitrogen of the resultant brown oxide.

In the treatment of carnotite concentrates, sodium diuranate was prepared by acidifying tricarbonate liquors to eliminate carbon dioxide, and then precipitating the sodium salt by the addition of caustic. Direct precipitation of uranium by the addition of caustic to tricarbonate liquors was used when pitchblende ores were processed, because this procedure was more effective in giving a product with a low molybdenum content. Tests of this method in the laboratory and Pilot Plant indicated that low uranium losses (0.2 to 0.3%) would be encountered with typical liquors if 1.7 to 2.0 lbs of caustic were added for every pound of uranosic oxide in solution. Since losses as high as 3% were incurred in plant operations, further work was undertaken, in an effort to reduce the uranium concentration in the waste liquors.