PUREX raffinate

The term PUREX raffinate is a better term for the mixture of metals in nitric acid which are left behind when the uranium and plutonium have been removed by the PUREX process from a nuclear fuel dissolution liquor. This mixture is oftein known as high level nuclear waste.

To be super exact two PUREX raffinates exist, the most highly active raffinate from the first cycle is the one which is most commonly known as PUREX raffinate. The other is from the medium active cycle in which the uranium and plutonium are refined by a second extraction with tributyl phosphate.

Currently PUREX raffinate is stored in stainless steel tanks before being converted into glass. The first cycle PUREX raffinate is very radioactive, it has almost all of the fission products, corrosion products such as iron/nickel, traces of uranium, plutonium and the minor actinides.