CONVERSION OF URANIUM FLUORIDES TO OXIDES AND ANHYDROUS HYDROGEN FLUORIDE BY REACTION WITH SULPHURIC ACID

摘要

Uranium fluoride compounds, in which the uranium is preferably present in the tretravalent or higher valency state, are reacted with a strong mineral acid, to yield a gaseous phase of hydrogen fluoride and a precipitate that is a uranium salt of the mineral acid. The precipitate can be subjected to thermal decomposition to recover the mineral acid and to obtain an oxide of uranium. The process provides an economical way of obtaining hydrogen fluoride from byproduct depleted UF6.