Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of consolidating a calcined material comprising radioactive material, said method comprising:mixing a radionuclide containing calcine with at least one additive to form a pre-HIP powder;loading the pre-HIP powder into a can;sealing the can;loading the sealed can through a bottom of a HIP vessel;closing said HIP vessel; andhot-isostatic pressing the sealed can within the HIP vessel at a temperature ranging from 1000° C. to 1250° C. and a pressure ranging from 30 to 100 MPa for a time ranging from 10-14 hours. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising preheating the pre-HIP powder prior to loading it in the sealed can into the HIP vessel. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said preheating comprises heating the pre-HIP powder to a temperature sufficient to remove excess moisture from said pre-HIP powder. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said temperature sufficient to remove excess moisture ranges from 100° C. to 400° C. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein said preheating comprises heating the pre-HIP powder to a temperature sufficient to drive off unwanted constituents without volatilizing any radionuclides present in said powder. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said temperature sufficient to drive off unwanted constituents without volatilizing any radionuclides present in said powder ranges from 400° C. to 900° C. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising preheating the pre-HIP powder prior to loading the pre-HIP powder in said HIP can. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising loading said pre-heated powder and can into the HIP vessel while at temperatures up to 600° C. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the can through the bottom of the HIP vessel includes using at least one robot of an automated loading system. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising evacuating and sealing said can prior to loading it in said HIP vessel. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said pre-HIP powder comprises 60-80% radioactive calcine. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the ratio of radioactive calcine to additive is about 80:20 by weight. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the additive comprises at least one oxide chosen from BaO, CaO, Al2O3, TiO2, and SiO2, which, when combined with the calcine, form a ceramic mineral or glass/ceramic material after said hot isostatic pressing. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said ceramic mineral or glass/ceramic comprises hollandite (BaAl2Ti6O16), zirconolite (CaZrThO7), and perovskite (CaTiO3). 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said can comprises Stainless Steel. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising encapsulating said can inside a containment vessel prior to loading through the bottom of the HIP vessel. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising positioning the containment vessel with said can contained therein on a bottom closure of said HIP vessel, and subsequently raising and securing the bottom closure to seal the HIP vessel. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein sealing said can includes welding said can. 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the can in said HIP vessel after hot isostatic pressing. 20. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing said can from said HIP vessel after hot isostatic pressing and prior to cooling said can.