common to several segments of the chemical process industry. For example, the types of equipment employed in these processes may include: furnaces, rotary kilns, fluidised bed reactors, flame tower reactors, liquid centrifuges, distillation columns and liquid-liquid extraction columns. However, few of the items are available 'off-the-shelf`, most would be prepared according to the requirements and specifications of the customer. In some instances, special design and construction considerations are required to address the corrosive properties of some of the chemicals handled (HF, F2, CIF3, and uranium fluorides). Finally, it should be noted that, in all of the uranium conversion processes, items of equipment which individually are not especially designed or prepared for uranium conversion can be assembled into systems which are especially designed or prepared for use in uranium conversion.
\n7.1. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of uranium ore concentrates to UO3 Explanatory note Conversion of uranium ore concentrates to UO3 can be performed by first dissolving the ore in nitric acid and extracting purified uranyl nitrate using a solvent such as tributyl phosphate. Next, the uranyl nitrate is converted to UO3 either by concentration and denitration or by neutralization with gaseous ammonia to produce ammonium diuranate with subsequent filtering, drying, and calcining.
\n7.2. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO3 to UF6 Explanatory note Conversion of UO3 to UF6 can be performed directly by fluorination.
\nThe process requires a source of fluorine gas or chlorine trifluoride.
\n7.3. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO3 to UO2 Explanatory note Conversion of UO3 to UO2 can be performed through reduction of UO3 with cracked ammonia gas or hydrogen.
\n7.4. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UO2 to UF4 Explanatory note Conversion of UO2 to UF4 can be performed by reacting UO2 with hydrogen fluoride gas (HF) at 300-500 °C.
\n7.5. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF4 to UF6 Explanatory note Conversion of UF4 to UF6 is performed by exothermic reaction with fluorine in a tower reactor. UF6 is condensed from the hot effluent gases by passing the effluent stream through a cold trap cooled to -10 °C. The process requires a source of fluorine gas.
\n7.6. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF4 to U metal Explanatory note Conversion UF4 to U metal is performed by reduction with magnesium (large batches) or calcium (small batches). The reaction is carried out at temperatures above the melting point of uranium (1 130 °C).
\n7.7. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF6 to UO2 Explanatory note Conversion of UF6 to UO2 can be performed by one of three processes.
\nIn the first, UF6 is reduced and hydrolysed to UO2 using hydrogen and steam. In the second, UF6 is hydrolysed by solution in water, ammonia is added to precipitate ammonium diuranate, and the diuranate is reduced to UO2 with hydrogen at 820 °C. In the third process, gaseous UF6, CO2 and NH3 are combined in water, precipitating ammonium uranyl carbonate. The ammonium aranyl carbonate is combined with steam and hydrogen at 500-600 °C to yield UO2.
\nUF6 to UO2 conversion is often performed as the first stage of a fuel fabrication plant.
\n7.8. Especially designed or prepared systems for the conversion of UF6 to UF4 Explanatory note Conversion of UF6 to UF4 is performed by reduction with hydrogen.
\nANNEX III To the extent that the measures in this Protocol involve nuclear material declared by the Community and without prejudice to Article 1 of this Protocol, the Agency and the Community shall cooperate to facilitate implementation of those measures and shall avoid unnecessary duplication of activities.
\nThe Community shall provide the Agency with information relating to transfers, for both nuclear and non-nuclear purposes, from each State to another Member State of the Community and to such transfers to each State from another Member State of the Community that corresponds to the information to be provided under Article 2 (a)(vi)(b) and under Article 2(a)(vi)(c) in relation to exports and imports of source material which has not reached the composition and purity suitable for fuel fabrication or for being isotopically enriched.
\nEach State shall provide the Agency with information relating to transfers to or from another Member State of the Community that corresponds to the information on specified equipment and non-nuclear material listed in Annex II of this Protocol to be provided under Article 2(a)(ix)(a) in relation to exports and, on specific request of the Agency, under Article 2(a)(ix)(b) in relation to imports.
\nWith regard to the Community's Joint Research Centre, the Community shall also implement the measures which this Protocol sets out for States, as appropriate in close collaboration with the State on whose territory an establishment of the centre is located.
\nThe Liaison Committee, established under Article 25(a) of the Protocol referred to in Article 26 of the Safeguards Agreement, will be extended in order to allow for participation by representatives of the States and adjustment to the new circumstances resulting from this Protocol.
\nFor the sole purposes of the implementation of this Protocol, and without prejudice to the respective competences and responsibilities of the Community and its Member States, each State which decides to entrust to the Commission of the European Communities implementation of certain provisions which under this Protocol are the responsibility of the States, shall so inform the other Parties to the Protocol through a side letter. The Commission of the European Communities shall inform the other Parties to the Protocol of its acceptance of any such decisions.