Editing Nuclear reprocessing (section)

{{Short description|Chemical operations that separate fissile material from spent fuel to be recycled as new fuel}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
[[File:Aerial_view_Sellafield,_Cumbria_-_geograph.org.uk_-_50827.jpg|thumb|[[Sellafield]] nuclear reprocessing site, UK]]
'''Nuclear reprocessing''' is the chemical separation of [[fission products]] and [[actinide]]s from [[spent nuclear fuel]].<ref>Andrews, A. (27 March 2008). [https://fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RS22542.pdf Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing: U.S. Policy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171717/http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RS22542.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }}. CRS Report For Congress. Retrieved 25 March 2011</ref> Originally, reprocessing was used solely to extract plutonium for producing [[nuclear weapon]]s. With commercialization of [[nuclear power]], the reprocessed plutonium was recycled back into [[MOX nuclear fuel]] for [[thermal reactor]]s.<ref>MOX fuel can extend the energy extracted by about 12% but slightly reduces plutonium stocks. [http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf29.html Information from the World Nuclear Association about MOX] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301173649/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf29.html |date=1 March 2013 }}</ref> The [[reprocessed uranium]], also known as the spent fuel material, can in principle also be re-used as fuel, but that is only economical when uranium supply is low and prices are high. Nuclear reprocessing may extend beyond fuel and include the reprocessing of other nuclear reactor material, such as [[Zircaloy]] cladding.

The high [[radioactivity]] of spent nuclear material means that reprocessing must be highly controlled and carefully executed in advanced facilities by specialized personnel. Numerous processes exist, with the chemical based [[PUREX]] process dominating. Alternatives include heating to drive off volatile elements, burning via oxidation, and [[fluoride volatility]] (which uses extremely reactive [[Fluorine]]). Each process results in some form of refined nuclear product, with [[radioactive waste]] as a byproduct. Because this could allow for [[Weapons-grade nuclear material|weapons grade nuclear material]], nuclear reprocessing is a concern for [[nuclear proliferation]] and is thus tightly regulated.

Relatively high cost is associated with spent fuel reprocessing compared to the once-through fuel cycle, but fuel use can be increased and [[radioactive waste|waste]] volumes decreased.<ref name=bas2011>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/managing-nuclear-spent-fuel-policy-lessons-10-country-study |title=Managing nuclear spent fuel: Policy lessons from a 10-country study |author=Harold Feiveson |year=2011 |work=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists |display-authors=etal |access-date=8 July 2011 |archive-date=26 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426011518/http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/managing-nuclear-spent-fuel-policy-lessons-10-country-study |url-status=live }}</ref> Nuclear fuel reprocessing is performed routinely in Europe, Russia, and Japan. In the United States, the Obama administration stepped back from President Bush's plans for commercial-scale reprocessing and reverted to a program focused on reprocessing-related scientific research.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Adieu to nuclear recycling |doi=10.1038/460152b |year=2009|journal=Nature |volume=460 |issue=7252 |page=152 |bibcode = 2009Natur.460R.152. |pmid=19587715|doi-access=free }}</ref>  Not all nuclear fuel requires reprocessing; a [[breeder reactor]] is not restricted to using recycled plutonium and uranium. It can employ all the [[actinide]]s, closing the [[nuclear fuel cycle]] and potentially multiplying the energy extracted from [[natural uranium]] by about 60 times.<ref>{{cite web |title=Supply of Uranium |url=http://world-nuclear.org/info/inf75.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212223705/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf75.html |archive-date=12 February 2013 |access-date=29 January 2010 |publisher=[[World Nuclear Association]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fast Neutron Reactors |url=http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf98.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224035726/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf98.html |archive-date=24 February 2013 |access-date=11 March 2012 |publisher=World Nuclear Association}}</ref>