Regarding the chemistry of metallic uranium stored in steel drums

The chemistry of an unexpected release of chemical energy in the opening of a steel drum containing co-extruded, iron clad, depleted uranium rods, is described. The constants of the drum were corroded. It was found that the reactions do not occur when uranium is shipped and stored in plywood boxes. The reactions occurred in two sequential stages. In the first stage, oxygen that inhibited water/uranium reaction, was depleted. In the second stage, moisture reacted with uranium, running the metal and producing the hydrogen hazard. The water/uranium reaction was accelerated when the oxygen inhibitor in the container was used up. It is shown that to avoid the chemical reactions, steel drums containing metallic uranium must either contain no source of moisture or they must be adequately vented out to the atmosphere. The differences in the gasket materials and the resultant seals were the significant causative differences in the two drums studied.