[en] A conceptual reprocessing and waste management scheme for Zircaloy clad ThO₂ fuel was formulated to eliminate problems associated with concurrent dissolution of fuel and cladding in the conventional chop-leach headend step. These problems are avoided by use of a modified headend step to form oxide fuel and cladding process streams. A chlorinating agent then converts the cladding hulls and adhering fuel into volatile and nonvolatile chloride fractions. The former product is processed, by use of the Zircaloy conversion process, to form an inorganic ion exchange material and combined with HLLW from subsequent fuel reprocessing to form a stable and refractory waste form. The nonvolatile chloride fraction would be recovered, processed to remove chloride ions, and recombined with the main oxide fuel process stream for further treatment by use of the Thorex process