Uranium-containing stone-cast matrices

This work examines stone-cast matrices (SCM) obtained by fusing basalt with both uranium-containing pearlite grade M150 and U3O8 at a temperature of 1623 K in air for 5 h. As a result of fusing basalt with uranium-free M150 grade pearlite, matrices are obtained containing glass and spinel as the main phases. When basalt and uranium-containing pearlite of grade M150 are fused, SCMs are formed, the main phases of which are two Cr-spinels of different compositions, uranium-containing glass, and dendritic aluminosilicate crystals. When basalt and U3O8 taken in the initial mass ratio of 1:1 are alloyed, SCM is formed, the main phases of which are UO3, CaU3O10, (Al, Cr, Fe)2U2O9, plagioclase, and uranium-containing glass. The rate of uranium leaching from a basalt alloy with uranium-containing pearlite M150 containing ~7.2 wt% U and SCM obtained by fusing basalt with U3O8 and containing ~42.5 wt% U, in H2O after 28 days of contact at 298 K was studied.