Method of manufacturing ceramic oxide nuclear fuels and intermediate products thereof

Uranyl nitrate or uranyl sulphate is extracted as a tributyl phosphate solvate into an organic solvent from aqueous solutions of uranium in sulphuric or nitric acid obtained from ore treatment or from wet reprocessing. Uranyl fluorides obtained from dry reprocessing should be hydrolysed and converted to uranyl sulphate or uranyl nitrate for such extraction. The tributyl phosphate solvate of the compound in the organic solvent (in a higher petrol fraction or in a chlorinated hydrocarbon) is directly precipitated using an aqueous solution of a hydroxide, preferably ammonium hydroxide as a hydrated oxide. Stoichiometric and overstoichiometric amounts of hydroxides lead to the formation of amorphous diuranates. Substoichiometric amounts of hydroxides used and of hydroxylamine solutions only lead to hydrolysis in which heavy macroscopic yellow crystalline precipitates are formed of the hydrated uranium oxide. Drying and annealing may result in UO3 and UO2, respectively. (B.S.)