Production of Transplutonium Elements in the High Flux Isotope Reactor

The National Transplutonium Element Production Program was established in the late 1950's to concentrate the "large-scale" production of transplutonium elements at a central location. These products are then distributed to researchers throughout the country upon the recommendations of a Transplutonium Program Committee which is comprised of representatives from the major laboratories which have an interest in transplutonium element research. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory was selected as the site for these production facilities, consisting of a high flux reactor and an adjacent radiochemical processing plant, which are capable of producing gram amounts of 252Cf and related quantities of the other heavy elements (1). These manmade elements are all intensely radioactive and can be processed safely and reliably only in an elaborate remote handling facility, such as the Transuranium Processing Plant (TRU). This facility and some of the processes carried out therein for recovery and purification of transplutonium elements are