2009 Report to Government on National Research and

pending a decision on its long-term management. The technology for
deconversion has been established in other countries. Urenco aims <strong>to</strong> build a
Tails Management Facility (TMF) at the Urenco UK Ltd site at Capenhurst,
consisting of a deconversion plant for Hex tails and a uranium oxide s<strong>to</strong>re. The
planning application has been submitted and it is hoped that the TMF will start
operations in 2014.
A.45 The uranium oxide could be reconverted <strong>to</strong> UF6 if it became attractive <strong>to</strong> re-enrich
it and sell it. Another option is <strong>to</strong> condition and package the oxide and dispose of
it in a geological facility in the UK. CoRWM has been <strong>to</strong>ld that Urenco has
applied for an LoC as part of the demonstration that such an option would be
practicable. This will entail providing evidence that its proposed waste form would
be suitable for both s<strong>to</strong>rage and disposal. Urenco is also supporting international
work that is investigating the possibility of sending the uranium oxide back <strong>to</strong> the
original producers of the ore, for disposal in exhausted uranium mines. This
would require an international agreement on the transport of uranium oxide waste
from the countries where it is held <strong>to</strong> the countries where ore is produced.
A.46 The Encapsulation of Metallic Uranium Steering (EMUS) Group predates NWRF
(para 3.10) and was established by Sellafield Ltd. although many other SLCs
participate. Its purpose is <strong>to</strong> ensure that current and future operations, which
require metallic uranium conditioning for treatment, s<strong>to</strong>rage and disposal, have a
sound technical foundation and <strong>to</strong> facilitate timely delivery of the plans of the
SLCs for site clean-up. It shares information through NWRF, but it is not an
official sub group.
A.47 There is a need for a UK uranics R&D strategy <strong>to</strong> include uranium held by
organisations other than the NDA, such as the MoD and Urenco (CoRWM doc.
2520).
Management of Thorium
A.48 There are small amounts of thorium at various NDA sites (e.g. Dounreay,
Winfrith). There is no market for thorium and the current strategy is <strong>to</strong> treat it as
waste for geological disposal. This strategy is straightforward if the thorium is in
oxide form (because the oxide is stable and insoluble). However some forms of
thorium can be pyrophoric and may require conversion <strong>to</strong> a more stable form,
such as the oxide for their long-term management. It is for the NDA sites <strong>to</strong> carry
out R&D on the management of their thorium holdings (CoRWM doc. 2418).
Winfrith plans <strong>to</strong> complete immobilisation of its thorium metal in <strong>2009</strong>/10.
Dounreay has liquid thorium nitrate, which will need <strong>to</strong> be converted <strong>to</strong> a solid for
long-term s<strong>to</strong>rage or disposal. The site holds an LoC for the material and plans
further R&D prior <strong>to</strong> its solidification.
Some Specific R&D Issues for Geological Disposal
A.49 CoRWM has neither the remit nor resources <strong>to</strong> identify all R&D required <strong>to</strong>
underpin design and construction of a GDF and <strong>to</strong> develop the safety cases,
which will be made <strong>to</strong> the relevant regula<strong>to</strong>rs. The safety cases will indicate how
the GDF is anticipated <strong>to</strong> perform during the operational and post-closure periods
and will demonstrate that regula<strong>to</strong>ry requirements are met.
CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 109 of 151