Commercial production of metal hafnium and hafnium-based products

Hafnium possesses a unique complex of physical and chemical properties which allow the application of products on its basis in various industries. Joint Stock Company 'Chepetsky Mechanical Plant' is the single enterprise which produces hafnium on the territory of Russia. The manufacture of metal hafnium with the total content of zirconium and hafnium, at least, 99,8 % of weights is developed at the present time at Joint Stock Company CHMZ. The weight of melted hafnium ingots is up to 1 ton. Manufacture of wide range of products from hafnium is implemented. The plates from a hafnium with thickness of 0.60 mm which are used for emergency control cartridges of VVER-440 reactors are the most critical product. It is shown that ingots and products obtained from metal hafnium correspond to the Russian and international standards for reactor materials in chemical composition, mechanical and corrosion properties.