Patent Issued for Hafnium-Recovery Method

Wayne Taylor of Actinide Chemistry Research and Development (NMT-11) and David Jarminska of Isotope and Nuclear Chemistry (C-INC) have received a patent for their process to recover hafnium from irradiated tantalum. The radioisotope hafnium is formed in accelerators by irradiating tantalum targets with protons. Taylor and Jarminska's method involves precipitation and ion-exchange methods to recover high-purity hafnium isotopes in a more environmentally friendly manner. Traditionally, recovering hafnium isotopes from irradiated tantalum involved separation techniques using organic solvents that now are considered hazardous. The solvent extraction techniques generated a mixed-waste stream containing radioactive and hazardous components that cannot easily be treated for disposal. The recovered hafnium isotopes have several industrial applications, including use in medical diagnosis and treatment, and for nuclear physics studies.

NMT-15's Zygmunt Cited for Work on U.S./Russian Project

Stan Zygmunt has received a certificate of merit for his work on the U.S./Russian Federation Plutonium Conversion project. Photo by Mick Greenbank

Stan Zygmunt has been awarded a Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division certificate of merit for his work on the U.S./Russian Federation Plutonium Conversion project.

Los Alamos is the lead national laboratory for Russian collaborations on technologies to convert plutonium metal extracted from disassembled nuclear weapons into an oxide form suitable for use as mixed-oxide fuel (MOX). Zygmunt is the Los Alamos project leader for the program.

Zygmunt's award was based in part on a commendation from John Baker and Sam Thomas of the Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In a memo to Pit Disassembly/Surveillance Technologies (NMT-15) Group Leader Tim Nelson, Thomas said Zygmunt was responsible for progress being made on the project because of his "crucial contributions and effective relationships with the Russian Federation experts.... Stan's technical expertise and his ability to manage and negotiate [have] served this program with excellent results."

Under an agreement signed with the Russian Federation in 2000, the United States and the Russian Federation each will convert 34 tons of weapons-grade plutonium into a form not easily transformed into weapons. As part of the project, NMT-15 is assisting the Russian Federation with the design, licensing, construction, and commissioning of facilities in Russia for plutonium conversion. France entered into a similar agreement with the Russian Federation in 1992, and it is hoped that the two programs one day will be merged into one.

Kniss Receives DOE Award

Laboratory engineer Brett Kniss has received the Department of Energy's (DOE) Distinguished Associates Award, the highest award given by the DOE to a nonfederal employee.

Kniss served as project leader and also chief engineer for the Lab Pit Production Project in Weapons Component Technology (NMT-5). He received the award for his many years of work establishing Los AlamosŐ capability to produce small numbers of plutonium pits, the cores of nuclear weapons.

"Brett Kniss provided the knowledge, management, and energy to bring together the technical and practical requirements to help put Los Alamos on track to produce a plutonium pit that can be certified for the stockpile," said Gen. John Gordon, chief administrator of DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). "Re-establishing pit production is a major mission requirement for DOE, and Brett has been instrumental in helping NNSA make significant steps in achieving that goal."

Circle of Life Blanket Presented to NMT Division and the Laboratory

Stacey Talachy, Nuclear Materials Science (NMT-16), top left; NMT Division Leader Tim George, top right; Vera Aguino, Weapons Component Technology (NMT-6), lower left; and Patrick Trujillo, NMT chief of staff, display a blanket recently presented to the Laboratory by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). The limited-edition "Circle of Life" commemorative Pendleton blanket was presented at the 23rd Annual AISES national conference. NMT Division and the Lab were among the sponsors of the conference, which was held in November in Albuquerque. The inscription with the blanket states: "In honor of all tribal elders, the wisdom keepers who are charged with handing down teachings and spiritual direction so the children better understand their responsibility to the universe and the Creator." Photo by LeRoy M. Sanchez

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