Annual Report 2000-2001
ANNEXES
Annex A—Nuclear Material within Australia
Table 6—Nuclear Material within Australia at 30 June 2001
|
Category |
Quantity[1] |
Intended End-use |
|
Source Material: |
|
|
|
Uranium ore concentrates (UOC) |
1,057 tonnes U3O8 |
Exports for energy use pursuant to bilateral agreements |
|
Natural
Uranium |
10,480 kg |
Research and shielding |
|
Depleted Uranium |
12,085 kg |
Research and shielding |
|
Thorium |
62,517 kg |
Research, industry |
|
Special Fissionable Material |
|
|
|
Uranium-235 |
168,433 g[2] |
Research, industry, radioisotope production |
|
Uranium-233 |
4 g |
Research |
|
Plutonium (except Pu-238)[3] |
2,033 g[4] |
Research, neutron sources |
[1]. These figures are based on reports received pursuant to Permit requirements and were correct at the time of preparing this Annual Report.
[2]. Most of the uranium-235 in Australia is contained in irradiated fuel elements which have been used in ANSTO’s HIFAR reactor. The figure given here is based on the weight of U-235 in each fuel element before irradiation, in accordance with the accounting convention used in the application of IAEA safeguards to HIFAR and Moata fuel prior to shipment from ANSTO
[3]. Plutonium with an isotopic concentration of plutonium-238 exceeding 80% is exempt from safeguards.
[4]. Because of the IAEA accounting convention mentioned above, this figure does not include any plutonium in irradiated reactor fuel. However this quantity is very small and in the event of reprocessing of the fuel, the contained plutonium is considered practicably irrecoverable.