Uranium IV Oxide by Wet Processes

In the wet processes poorly soluble uranium compounds are precipitated, whereby the fluoride left in the filtrate is reacted with lime to fluorspar or processed to other inorganic fluorine compounds by fluorine processing companies. 

Ammonium diuranate (ADU) process This process was developed in the USA in the 1950 s and is currently still the most important process. However, the raw uranium(IV) oxide produced with this process contains up to 2% by weight of fluoride and hence requires aftertreatment before it is suitable for pressing into fuel pellets. This disadvantage is not shared by the other two processes. New reconversion plants do not, therefore, in the main, utilize the ADU-process. 

In the ADU process the uranium(VI) fluoride from the enrichment plant is first evaporated and hydrolyzed with water  

The UO2F2 solution is treated with ammonia, whereupon ammonium diuranate precipitates out, although not in a strictly stoichiometric composition  

Wet proces.ses for the production of UO2 precipitation of poorly soluble uranium compounds from the hydrolysis of UF(,  

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