High flux isotope reactor processing

Figure 21.8 shows the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where technicians produce transuranium elements by bombarding plutonium-239 with neutrons. Neutrons are produced by nuclear fission, a process discussed in Section 21.7. 

Actinides occurrence and preparation. With the exception of U and Th, the availability of the actinides of the first half of the series ranges from the g to kg scale that of the elements of the second half of the series from the mg scale for Cf to the sub-mg scale for Es. Isotopes of Np, Pu, Am, Cm can be available as byproducts of nuclear fuel processing other elements such as Ac, Cf, Bk, Es can be obtained by irradiation of selected isotopes in high flux reactors, or by reprocessing large quantities of ore (Pa). 

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