Abstract
Uranium-233 (233U) is a synthetic isotope of uranium formed under reactor conditions during neutron capture by natural thorium (232Th). At high purities, this synthetic isotope serves as a crucial reference for accurately quantifying and characterizing natural uranium isotopes for domestic and international safeguards. Separated 233U is stored in vaults at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These materials represent a broad spectrum of 233U from the standpoint isotopic purity—the purest being crucial for precise analyses in safeguarding uranium. All 233U at ORNL currently is scheduled to be down blended with depleted uranium beginning in 2015. Such down blending will permanently destroy the potential value of pure 233U samples as certified reference material for use in uranium analyses. Furthermore, no replacement 233U stocks are expected to be produced in the future due to a lack of operating production capability and the high cost of returning to operation this currently shut down capability. This paper will describe the efforts to rescue the purest of the 233U materials—arguably national treasures—from their destruction by down blending.