Morphological and chemical characterization of uranium and cerium nuclear forensics samples

•Uranium and cerium containing samples were examined as part of an international nuclear forensics exercise.•The main technique for characterization was the combined analysis by SEM-EDS/Raman of the surface.•Connection between the ingots was determined by uranium and cerium isotopic ratios as well as yttria and graphite surface contaminations.•Sample preparation history was interpreted based on surface contaminations, showing multiple impurities present in suggested production and processing sites.