The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) recently announced that a shipment of 120 depleted uranium oxide (DUOx) storage cylinders has arrived at a disposal site in West Texas. This shipment originated from EM's Portsmouth Site in Ohio, marking the first shipment from this location.
DUOx is a valuable material produced by converting the Department's extensive inventory of depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), which is managed at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites. The shipment signifies progress in the conversion of over 90,000 metric tons of DUF6 by EM's Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) since 2010.
Joel Bradburne, manager of EM’s PPPO, stated that this achievement demonstrates the effective and efficient shipping of this material from both the Portsmouth and Paducah sites in a safe and sustainable manner. DUF6 is a byproduct of uranium enrichment operations conducted for over 60 years at former gaseous diffusion plants in Oak Ridge, Portsmouth, and Paducah.
The Portsmouth and Paducah sites are responsible for converting DUF6 into DUOx and aqueous hydrofluoric acid (HF). DUOx has applications for beneficial reuse, with some being sent to licensed facilities for disposal. The HF co-product is recycled in various industries to help offset conversion expenses. Dutch Conrad, President and Project Manager of Mid-America Conversion Services (MCS), praised the dedicated teams at both Portsmouth and Paducah for successfully coordinating this major operation.
