For many years there has been a sustained international interest in partitioning and transmutation of the actinides, and particularly americium, neptunium and curium, mainly because of the major contribution to the decay heat and radiotoxicity of spent nuclear fuel. Therefore in the current report are examined the possibilities for high level waste reduction through transmutation of these three minor actinides. The main objectives of minor actinide partitioning and transmutation processes are described and the technological options of such process are revealed. A software experiment showing the possibilities of actinides transmutation of the most utilized thermal reactors is conducted. The experimental results and comparison of the transmutation possibilities of thermal reactors is also shown.
Keywords: minor actinides, spent nuclear fuel, thermal reactors, transmutation.