ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2026
Nuclear Technology
January 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
DOE, General Matter team up for new fuel mission at Hanford
The Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) on Tuesday announced a partnership with California-based nuclear fuel company General Matter for the potential use of the long-idle Fuels and Materials Examination Facility (FMEF) at the Hanford Site in Washington state.
According to the announcement, the DOE and General Matter have signed a lease to explore the FMEF's potential to be used for advanced nuclear fuel cycle technologies and materials, in part to help satisfy the predicted future requirements of artificial intelligence.
O. C. Dean, G. K. Ellis
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 4 | Number 4 | October 1958 | Pages 509-521
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE58-A28827
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A process, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, produced thorium metal by the continuous reduction of anhydrous thorium tetrachloride with sodium amalgam on a scale up to 3.5 pounds per hour. The salt was vigorously agitated with an excess of sodium amalgam which was produced by the electrolysis of aqueous sodium hydroxide. The resulting slurry of thorium mercuride in mercury was washed free from impurities and reaction by-products with dilute HC1 and water. A solid concentrate of the thorium mercuride was prepared by filter-pressing the dilute slurry. The remaining mercury was removed by vacuum-distillation, resulting in massive metal of about 0.8 of the theoretical thorium density. The metal was fabricated into rods by direct extrusion or by arc-melting followed by extrusion.