Collier, N, Harrison, M, Brogden, M et al. (1 more author) (2012) Release of uranium from candidate wasteforms. Mineralogical Magazine, 76 (8). 2939 - 2948. ISSN 0026-461X
Abstract
Large volumes of depleted natural and low-enriched uranium exist in the UK waste inventory. This work reports on initial investigations of the leaching performance of candidate glass and cement encapsulation matrices containing UO3 powder as well as that of uranium oxide powders. The surface areas of UO3 powder and the monolith samples of UO3 conditioned in the glass and cement matrices were very different making leaching comparisons difficult. The results showed that for both types of monolith conditioned samples a steady increase of uranium concentration in solution with time was generally not observed. The wt.% of uranium leached from UO3 conditioned in the lead borosilicate glass wasteform was approximately five orders of magnitude less than that leached from UO3 powder. Similarly, the quantities of uranium leached from UO3 conditioned in composite cement made with ordinary Portland cement, and from magnesium phosphate cement, were approximately four and three orders of magnitude, respectively, less than that leached from UO3 powder. The performance of a mixed oxide borosilicate glass wasteform was only slightly better than that of UO3 powder. This work shows that wasteforms based on encapsulation in lead borosilicate glass and cement matrices have the greatest potential for further development.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2012, Mineralogical Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Mineralogical Magazine. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | uranium; uranium oxides; glass; cement; release rate; leach rate |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) > Institute for Particle Science and Engineering (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2014 11:24 |
Last Modified: | 24 Jul 2014 11:24 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1180/minmag.2012.076.8.09 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Mineralogical Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1180/minmag.2012.076.8.09 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:79747 |