Designation: C1334 − 05 (Reapproved 2016)´1

Standard Specification for

Uranium Oxides with a 235U Content of Less Than 5 % for
Dissolution Prior to Conversion to Nuclear-Grade Uranium
Dioxide1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C1334; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

ε1 NOTE—Editorially updated organization name of referenced document in 2.2 in January 2016.

1. Scope oxide Powders and Pellets

1.1 This specification covers uranium oxides, including C753 Specification for Nuclear-Grade, Sinterable Uranium
processed byproducts or scrap material (powder, pellets, or Dioxide Powder
pieces), that are intended for dissolution into uranyl nitrate C788 Specification for Nuclear-Grade Uranyl Nitrate Solu-
solution meeting the requirements of Specification C788 prior tion or Crystals
to conversion into nuclear grade UO2 powder with a 235U C799 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric,
content of less than 5 %. This specification defines the impurity Spectrochemical, Nuclear, and Radiochemical Analysis of
and uranium isotope limits for such urania powders that are to Nuclear-Grade Uranyl Nitrate Solutions
be dissolved prior to processing to nuclear grade UO2 as C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
defined in Specification C753. C996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to
Less Than 5 % 235U
1.2 This specification provides the nuclear industry with a C1233 Practice for Determining Equivalent Boron Contents
general standard for such uranium oxide powders. It recognizes of Nuclear Materials
the diversity of conversion processes and the processes to E105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
which such powders are subsequently to be subjected (for
instance, by solvent extraction). It is therefore anticipated that 2.2 ASME Standard:3
it may be necessary to include supplementary specification ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear
limits by agreement between the buyer and seller. Facility Applications
1.3 The scope of this specification does not comprehen- 2.3 U.S. Government Document:4
sively cover all provisions for preventing criticality accidents, Federal Regulations Title 10, (Energy) Part 50, Domestic
for health and safety, or for shipping. Observance of this Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities
specification does not relieve the user of the obligation to
conform to all international, national, state and local regula- 3. Terminology
tions for processing, shipping, or any other way of using urania 3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
powders (see 2.2 and 2.3). 3.1.1 Terms shall be defined in accordance with Terminol-
ogy C859, except for the following:
2. Referenced Documents
3.1.2 Commercial Grade Uranium Oxide, n—any oxide of
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 uranium made from unirradiated uranium. It is recognized
C696 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, and some contamination with reprocessed uranium may occur
Spectrochemical Analysis of Nuclear-Grade Uranium Di- during routine processing; this is acceptable provided that the
specification for Commercial Grade Uranium Oxide as set
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on forth in 4.1 is met.
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.02 on Fuel
and Fertile Material Specifications.
Current edition approved Jan. 15, 2016. Published January 2016. Originally
3
approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as C1334 – 05 (2010). Available from American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ASME
DOI: 10.1520/C1334-05R16E01. International Headquarters, Two Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990, http://
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or www.asme.org.
4
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Available from U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents,
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401, http://
the ASTM website. www.access.gpo.gov.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 C1334 − 05 (2016)´1
3.1.3 scrap, n—in the nuclear industry, residues that contain 5.3 Equivalent Boron Content—The total equivalent boron
sufficient quantities of source or special nuclear material to be content (EBC) shall not exceed 2.0 µg/gU. The list of elements
worthy of recovery. to be considered in the EBC calculation shall be as recom-
mended in Practice C1233. The method of performing the
4. Isotopic Content calculation shall be as indicated in Practice C1233.
4.1 For Commercial Grade Uranium Oxide with an isotopic 5.4 If the concentrations of any of the elements used in the
content of 235U between that of natural uranium and 5 %, the calculations in 5.2 are reported as a less-than value, this
isotopic and radionuclide limits of Specification C996 shall less-than value shall be used for any further calculations
apply. The specific isotopic and radionuclide measurements involving the concentration of this element.
required by Specification C996 may be waived, provided that
5.5 Moisture Content—The moisture content of the uranium
the seller can demonstrate compliance through, for instance,
oxide shall not exceed 1 % by weight unless otherwise agreed
the seller’s quality assurance records.
upon by the buyer and seller.
4.2 For commercial uranium oxides not having an assay in
5.6 Ability to Flow—The Commercial Grade Uranium Ox-
the range set forth in 4.1, the isotopic requirements shall be as
ide shall be sufficiently free-flowing to permit sampling and
agreed upon between the buyer and seller.
powder handling.
5. Physical and Chemical Requirements 5.7 Particle Size—Particle size, size distribution and
5.1 Uranium Content—The uranium content shall be deter- method of determination shall be as agreed upon between the
mined using methods described in Test Methods C696 and buyer and seller. Packing or agglomeration during shipping, or
C799, or as agreed upon between the buyer and seller. Based both, may be a concern.
on the oxygen-to-uranium ratio, the minimum total uranium 5.8 Dissolvability—At the buyer’s request, a dissolvability
content shall also be agreed upon between the buyer and seller. test shall be performed by a procedure and to a specification as
5.2 Impurity Content—The impurity content shall not ex- mutually agreed upon between buyer and seller. The test
ceed the individual element limits specified in Table 1. The parameters (such as time, temperature, nitric acid molarity) and
summation of the contribution of each of the impurity elements characteristics to be measured (such as dissolution rate,
listed in Table 1 shall not exceed 1000 µg/gU. The impurity insolubles, foam generation) shall be defined by agreement
content shall be determined using methods described in Test between the buyer and seller.
Methods C696 or as agreed upon between the buyer and seller. 6. Lot Requirements
If the Table 1 specifications are not met, and processing beyond
simple dissolution is anticipated, the concentrations of carbon 6.1 A lot is defined as a quantity of Commercial Grade
and toxic elements such as Ag, Cr, Pb, Hg, Se, Sb, and As shall Uranium Oxide powder that is uniform in isotopic, chemical,
be reported for information. Analysis requirements may be and flowability characteristics.
waived provided the seller can characterize the material, for 6.2 The identity of a lot shall be retained throughout.
example, through the seller’s QA records. 6.3 A powder lot shall form the basis for defining sampling
plans used to establish conformance to this specification.
TABLE 1 Impurity Elements and Maximum Concentration Limits 6.4 Sampling plans shall be mutually agreed upon by the
Maximum Concentration
buyer and seller. A suggested sampling procedure is given in
Element Appendix X1.
Limit (µg/gU)
Aluminum 150
Barium 5 7. Testing and Certification
Bismuth 3
Calcium and Magnesium 150
7.1 The material shall be sampled as described in Appendix
Chlorine 100 X1 and tested to ensure conformance of the powder to the
Chromium 100 requirements as agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.
Cobalt 80
Copper 100 7.2 The seller, as above, shall provide to the buyer docu-
Fluorine 100 ments certifying that the material meets all the requirements of
Iron 150
Lead 40 Sections 4, 5, and 6.
Manganese 50
Molybdenum 200
7.3 Lot Acceptance—Acceptance testing may be performed
Nickel 80 by the buyer on either the sample provided by the seller or on
Phosphorus 100 a sample taken at the buyer’s plant by sampling one or more
Silicon 200
Sodium 20
individual containers with a thief. Practice E105 is referenced
Tantalum 200 as a guide. Acceptance shall be on a lot basis and shall be
Thorium 10 contingent upon the material properties meeting the require-
Tin 50
Titanium 50
ments of Sections 4, 5, and 6.
Tungsten 100 7.4 Referee Method—The buyer and seller may agree to a
Vanadium 10
Zinc 20 third party as a referee in the event of a dispute in analytical
results.

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 C1334 − 05 (2016)´1
8. Packaging and Marking 8.2.5 Gross, tare, net oxide weights,
8.1 Uranium oxide powder shall be packaged in sealed 8.2.6 Uranium weight,
containers to prevent loss of material and undue contamination 8.2.7 Purchase order number (or equivalent), and
from air or to the container materials. The exact size and 8.2.8 Container ( ) of ( ).
method of packaging shall be as agreed upon between the 9. Quality Assurance
buyer and seller.
9.1 Quality assurance requirements shall be as agreed upon
8.2 Each container shall bear, as a minimum, a label on the between the buyer and seller when specified in the purchase
lid and side with the following information: order. Code of Federal Regulations Title 10, Part 50, Appendix
8.2.1 Seller’s name, B and NQA-1 are referenced as guides.
8.2.2 Material in container,
8.2.3 Lot number, 10. Keywords
8.2.4 Uranium enrichment, 10.1 nuclear fuel; uranium oxide; uranium oxide dissolution

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. SAMPLING

X1.1 Uranium oxide may be hygroscopic and retain suffi- than the seller) plant until the lot has been formally accepted by
cient water after exposure to a moist atmosphere to cause the buyer.
detectable error. Sample, weigh, and handle the sample under
conditions that will ensure that the sample is representative of X1.5 Prepare the lot sample by blending and splitting the
the lot. container samples
X1.6 To obtain a container sample, take specimens with a
X1.2 Take a representative sample of powder from each lot thief at random locations along a randomly chosen vertical
for the purpose of determining chemical properties. traverse through each container selected at random to be
sampled. Then blend the thief samples from the selected
X1.3 A lot sample shall be of sufficient size to perform
containers and split down to the required size.
quality assurance testing at the seller’s plant, acceptance
testing at the buyer’s plant, and referee tests in the event they X1.7 The number of containers so sampled shall be 5 +
become necessary. (n/10) where n is the total number of containers per lot rounded
to the nearest decade. If there are five or fewer containers per
X1.4 Package the lot sample for acceptance testing at the lot, each container shall be so sampled.
buyer’s plant in a separate container, clearly identify by lot
number, and ship with the lot. Clearly identify the referee X1.8 Alternatively, an auto-sampler can be used to obtain
sample and retain it at the manufacturer’s (if someone other samples during emptying or filling of the container.

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