Kazakhstan To Recycle Weapons-Grade Uranium for Peaceful Applications

CIVIL NUCLEAR

Astana, Kazakhstan (SPX) Oct 10, 2005
On October 8th, there is to be an official ceremony to mark the launch of processing of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) into low enriched uranium (LEU) at the Ulbinsk Metallurgic Factory in Eastern Kazakhstan.

President Nazarbayev, Ted Turner, US Senator Sam Nunn, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Pierre Lellouche, as well as representatives of IAEA and NGOs will be among attendees to the event, which is held in the framework of the non-proliferation of WMD program.

HEU is weapons-grade or weapon-usable uranium in which the content of the U-235 isotope is over the 20% mark. Weapons-grade HEU (containing 85% of U-235) is the standard for existing nuclear devices, though weapons-usable HEU (with U-235 content ranging between 20% and 85%) can be used in a crude nuclear device. LEU is the type of nuclear fuel used in civil reactors, with a concentration of U-235 of the order of 3% to 5%.

Kazakhstan joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear state on February 14th 1994 after having destroyed its formidable arsenal of 110 ballistic missiles and 1,200 nuclear warheads it inherited from the Soviet Union.

The country now leverages its experience of the safe disposal of nuclear weapons with the opening of this new installation at the Ulbinsk Metallurgic Factory.

Opened in 1949, the Ulbinsk Metallurgic Factory's original function was to supply the USSR's defence sector. At the present time the plant is one of the largest world producers of its kind.

It occupies 529 hectares, and houses over 100 structures and installations housing uranium, beryllium and tantalum production as well as an etching acid production department, instrumental and mechanical quarters, electrical repair and energy repair shop, and a number of other production complex utilities.

The Ulbinsk Metallurgic Factory's is mostly owned (90%) by the national atomic energy firm "KazAtomProm" which is Kazakhstan's operator for the import and export of uranium and is among top 10 uranium-mining companies of the world accounting for 5% of the world production of uranium. In 2004 "KazAtomProm" mined 3,320 tons of uranium compared to 2952 tons in 2003.

CIVIL NUCLEAR

China Aims To Operate 'Super-Efficient' Nuclear Reactor In 2010

Beijing (AFP) Oct 05, 2005
Chinese scientists aim to have a "super-efficient" nuclear reactor in 2010 that will relieve China's uranium supply problems, as part of a national plan to boost power generation, state media said Wednesday.

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