5. Head operations

The head-end of the process covers all the operations (figure 3 ) which, from irradiated fuel, result in a clear solution containing the elements to be recovered (uranium and plutonium) as quantitatively as possible, and possessing the optimum characteristics to undergo the extraction operations which will enable these elements to be separated and purified.

In addition to these header operations, we have grouped together the upstream operations carried out on spent fuel since it leaves the reactor (storage, transport, reception), which could be described as the reactor/reprocessing plant interface.