Abstract: In a cask (10) for the transportation and storage of radioactive materials, an improvement in the shielding means (14) which achieves significant savings in weight and increases in payload by the use of pipes of depleted uranium, tungsten or other dense metal, encapsulating polyethylene cores (20a), dispersed in two to four rows of concentric bore holes (20, 21, 22, 23 or 24) around the periphery of the cask body (11) which is preferably made of ductile iron. Alternatively, rods or small balls of these same shielding materials (21a, 22a, 23a and 24a), alone or in combination, are placed in these bore holes. The thickness, number and arrangement of these shielding pipes (20a) or rods (21a, 22a, 23a or 24a) is varied to provide optimum protection against the neutrons and gamma radiation emitted by the particular radioactive material being transported or stored.

Abstract: An acidic solution containing metal values and also containing humic acid impurities, is purified by: (1) forming a gas in the acid solution, (2) adding high molecular weight anionic organic flocculant in a volume ratio of gas containing acid solution: flocculant of 1,000:0.002 to 0.10, to form a bottom, purified, aqueous acidic phase containing metal values and a top flocculated humic acid impurities froth phase and (3) removing the humic acid froth phase.

Abstract: A cask has an inner rectangular enclosure of stainless steel fitting, with a slight clearance in the similarly shaped interior of a generally rectangular body of depleted uranium serving as a gamma ray shield. A cylindrical shell surrounds the generally rectangular gamma ray shield and copper partitions divide the annular space therebetween into a plurality of compartments for a neutron absorbing liquid. Flow paths between compartments are provided without removing copper from the partitions or interrupting any radial heat conduction path of any partition. Transverse partitions in certain of the compartments provide for holding the radial thickness of the liquid generally uniform throughout the circumference of the cask.