New strategy on rare earth in advanced nuclear fuel cycle

Ozawa, Masaki; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Shinoda, Yoshihiko ; Takagi, Naoyuki*

Toward the ultimate minimization of radioactive wastes, a new fuel cycle paradigm has been proposed as Advanced ORIENT Cycle strategy. The strategy will cover the recycle of some specific fission products (i.e., rare metals) as well as enhanced P and T of all of actinides and long-lived fission products. The paper will particularly discuss, with focusing on rare earths in the spent nuclear fuel, the radiochemical properties and separation chemistry of inter- and intra-group separations of 4f/5f elements by tertiary pyridine resin. Furthermore, incineration possibility of Th separated from rare earth ore is evaluated as source of U, new nuclear fuel. New ideas of thorium utilization as nuclear fuels and of active creation of artificial rare elements in a fission reactor will also be introduced.