Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of utilizing nuclear reactions of neutrons in a target to produce primarily lanthanides in said target on an industrial scale, said method comprising the steps ofproviding the target comprising any of Nd, Sm, Gd, Er, or Yb in any combination and/or composition thereof as mother element, wherein said mother element is contained in said target in an amount of at least 8.0 weight%;arranging said target within a container;arranging said container outside of a shell of a nuclear reactor with an active core;irradiating the target arranged within the container with neutrons generated in the active core of said nuclear reactor along with keeping the container outside of the shell throughout the irradiation,wherein said irradiating generates (n, γ) nuclear reactions involving the mother element, andproducing lanthanides as daughter elements via said nuclear reactions, whereina neutron moderator substance is arranged within the container between the shell of the nuclear reactor and the target, anda neutron backscattering reflector substance is arranged within the container behind the target, andthe target is contained in a target cassette with a net volume of about 100 dm3 and a gross mass of 2 to 4 tons depending on the mother element used in the target, andsaid container is prepared with the dimensions of about 90 by 90 by 60 cm and has a gross mass of about 8 to 10 tons when assembled and ready to be irradiated;after irradiating, displacing at least said target cassette from the outside of the shell of the nuclear reactor to recover the lanthanides produced. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging at least one of the neutron moderator substance and the neutron backscattering reflector substance in a respective separate cassette having a base plate with the dimensions of about 90 cm by 90 cm. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the mother element in the target in a form selected from the group consisting of powders, granulates, metallic lumps, bars and sheets. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the mother element in the target in a state selected from the group consisting of compounds, solutions, ceramics and amorphous states. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the mother element in the target as a carbide, nitride, oxide or silicide. 6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step ofdisplacing only the target cassette from the outside of the shell of the nuclear reactor and leaving any of the cassettes containing the neutron moderator substance or the neutron backscattering reflector substance in place for several irradiation periods. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ofarranging a radiation shield within the container to decrease emission to the outside of the container. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering an isotope composition of a daughter element obtained from the mother element via (n, γ) nuclear reactions of intermediary resonance neutrons generated in the active core of said nuclear reactor.