Annual Report 1999-2000

Annex ANuclear Material within Australia.

Table 12Nuclear Material within Australia at 30 June 2000.

Category	Quantity[21]	Intended End-use
Source Material
Uranium ore concentrates (UOC)	1,248 tonnes U3O8	Exports for energy use pursuant to bilateral agreements
Natural Uranium (other than UOC)	11,136 kg	Research and shielding
Depleted Uranium	10,246 kg	Research and shielding
Thorium	61,035 kg	Research, industry
Special Fissionable Material
Uranium-235	223,706 g[22]	Research, industry, radioisotope production
Uranium-233	4 g	Research
Plutonium (except Pu-238)[23]	2,044 g[24]	Research, neutron sources

[21]. These figures are based on reports received pursuant to Permit requirements and were correct at the time of preparing this Annual Report.

[22]. Most of the uranium-235 in Australia is contained in irradiated fuel elements which have been used in ANSTOs 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.

[23]. Plutonium with an isotopic concentration of plutonium-238 exceeding 80% is exempt from safeguards.

[24]. 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.

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