Electrolytic recovery of reactor metal fuel

An electrolytic process of recovering a nuclear reactor metal fuel comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrolytic cell including a fused salt electrolyte, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode in contact with the electrolyte, and a source of electrical voltage to said electrodes;
• operating the cell during an anodic dissolution step with a metal fuel basket containing said metal fuel being anode wherein said basket being of a metal which will not undergo oxidation during said anodic dissolution step and with an active metal alloy electrode being said cathode to transfer nuclear reactor metal fuel contained in said metal fuel basket into said electrolyte;
• and
• operating the cell during a cathode deposition step by limiting a cell current generated during said cathode deposition with said active metal alloy electrode being said anode, said active metal capable of displacing nuclear reactor metal fuel from said electrolyte, and with an inert metal cathode to selectively deposit metals from said nuclear reactor metal fuel transferred into said electrolyte at said cathode electrode, said cathode being inert when in contact with the deposited metals.