Status report on technical progress for LEU-based {sup 99}Mo production at Argonne National Laboratory

Currently, most of the world's supply of {sup 99}Mo is produced from the fissioning {sup 235}U in high- enriched uranium (HEU) targets. Conversion of these targets to low-enriched uranium (LEU) would ease worldwide concern over the use and transport of this weapons-grade material. This paper documents our progress in three development areas: (1) the chemistry of iodine and its recovery from irradiated uranium targets, (2) alternate uranium metal target dissolution methods compatible with existing alkaline ion exchange processes and, (3) a small-foot-print dissolver for the LEU-modified Cintichem process. (author)