Megatons to Megawatts will turn old nuclear weapons into fuel for commercial nuclear power!
turns highly enriched uranium into lightly enriched uranium.
Nuclear twist sees Russian warheads warming US homes Herald Sun AFP , April 13, 2010, IN A strange twist of Cold War enmity on the melt, uranium from what once were Russian nuclear warheads is used to heat and light American homes, thanks to the Megatons to Megawatts Program – a successful example of nuclear non-proliferation. Continue reading
Olympic Dam uranium mine still only at 25% capacity output
Delays continue at BHP’s Olympic Dam, The
Independent Weekly, KEVIN NAUGHTON 10 Apr, 2010 Work on the full recommissioning of Olympic Dam’s main shaft has been delayed again,….The shaft, which carries 75 per cent of the mine’s output, has been out of action since an accident on October 6, 2009…… Continue reading
Chile sent weapons grade uranium, to become nuclear fuel for USA
The Associated Press documented the transfer, agreeing to keep the details secret until the material arrived safely in the United States.
The mission will be the first of many if Obama is to keep his promise.
Chile gives its last weapons-grade uranium to US By MICHAEL WARREN and MEG KINNARD (AP) – Google News Hostimg 12 April The Associated Press: Chile gives its last weapons-grade uranium to US.….. Continue reading
Nuclear disarmament program could spell the end of uranium mining
Back in 2009, President Obama ordered a measure to help the ailing uranium industry – to lift the price of uranium.
He ordered a halt to the program to use weapons grade uranium from old nuclear weapons as fuel for copmmercial nuclear reactors.
Now, that program is to be re-started, and with the aim of spreading this use of old military uranium as nuclear fuel – to Russia , and the world – as part of the nuclear disarmament program.
In which case, – nobody would need new mined uranium!
Nuclear Summit’s plans to use old weapons fuel for commercial nuclear power
US summit expected to back Barack Obama’s plan to prevent nuclear theft | World news | The Guardian 12 April Leaders from more than 40 countries will tomorrow back Barack Obama’s plans to prevent the theft of nuclear material from vulnerable stockpiles around the world. Continue reading
U.S. military base in Central Australian to remain (a nuclear target?)
Our bases retain role in US plan, The Age DANIEL FLITTON, April 12, 2010 TOP-SECRET military bases in Australia will remain a key part of America’s nuclear arsenal despite President Barack Obama’s sweeping changes to limit the use of atomic weapons…..Senator Faulkner – ” ..Australia supports that US nuclear deterrence posture by hosting the joint-facilities as well.”
The satellite communication base at Pine Gap near Alice Springs is the largest of the joint US-Australian facilities, believed to monitor possible nuclear missile launches from Russia and China…..
[Obama] stopped short of declaring that America would never again be the first to use nuclear weapons as some arms control activists had hoped….
Senator Faulkner – ”As a major uranium supplier, Australia has got a particular interest in the security of nuclear materials,’‘ he said. Our bases retain role in US plan
Uranium pollution continues in South Australia, but protestors gain legal victory
David Noonan, 10 April 2010, After 10 years a group of brave and resolute anti-nuclear protesters have won a major court case against SA police in defense of their rights to defend the environment, to protest against uranium mining and to protect their rights civil and human rights – after a range of police violence was inflicted on them including unlawful imprisonment in a shipping container at the Beverley acid in situ leach uranium mine in May 2000. Continue reading
Uranium price continued slump leaves Cameco investors deeply in the red
The Cameco stock is currently around CAD 27.00 a share, leaving buy-and-hold investors which bought the stock across 2006 and 2007 deeply in the red.
Are uranium stocks oversold? “……… the sector has been on the backburner for months, if not years. Mineweb, Barry Sergeant , 09 Apr 2010 JOHANNESBURG – Relative to most mining subsectors, listed uranium stocks have rendered a poor performance, for some years now, inviting examination as to whether this area is oversold. Continue reading
Nuclear Power Lobby in a Bigger Mess Than I Thought
by Christina Macpherson 9 April 2010, Some big corporations have an obvious interest in Australia promoting nuclear power. But which sort? Better not get Fourth Generation nuclear reactors – or the whole uranium industry is stuffed!
Today, thanks to Renfrey Clarke (3 items from him below) I learned about:
Second Generation Nuclear Reactors – those presently in use (Pressured Water Reactors – uranium-intensive and so ultimately producing lots of greenhouse gases, and not very safe, )
Third Generation Nuclear Reactors – still being built – updated versions of the Second Gen, super-expensive, a bit safer, but same waste and proliferation problems
‘Fast Breeder’ Reactors and Fourth Generation Nuclear Reactors – the latter still at the design stage, carry serious fire and radioactive waste risk. Worst of all, for Australia, they won’t need uranium mining , as they could use existing huge stockpiles of depleted uranium
Traditional Aboriginal Owners to Appear at Senate Inquiry on Australian Govt’s Nuclear Waste Dump Plan
The NRWM Bill is also strongly opposed by the NT Government, the ACTU and Unions NT and national public health, student and environment groups.
9 April 2010 Aboriginal Traditional Owners from the Muckaty Land Trust will appear at a Senate Inquiry hearing in Darwin on Monday April 12 to speak against the federal government’s new law that seeks to impose a radioactive waste dump on the NT – the National Radioactive Waste Management (NRWM) Bill. Continue reading
“Third Generation” Nuclear Reactors” safety, pollution, proliferation dangers
Why James Hansen is wrong on nuclear power | Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, By Renfrey Clarke April 8, 2010 -“…….Third-generation reactors are in essence evolved versions of the pressurised-water installations that provide almost all of today’s nuclear energy. Now being built for the first time, “third-generation” plants are arguably still at the pre-commercial stage. Continue reading
A worthwhile anti uranium protest, and protestors vindicated
9 April 2010 Greens MLC Mark Parnell has welcomed the decision to award ten protesters $724,550 in compensation for their treatment and detention by Star Force officers whilst protesting at the Beverley Uranium mine in 2000……
“These protesters had a right to express their concerns about the dangers of the nuclear industry and South Australia’s role in it. This is an industry that is implicated in nuclear weapons proliferation and an industry that still has no solution to its toxic waste. That is certainly worth protesting about,” he said.
Uranium price slipping further down
Uranium prices falter on lack of demand Industrial Fuels and Power April 7th, 2010 The spot price of uranium oxide slipped by US$0.25 to US$41.75/lb on April 5, according to Ux Consulting Company. Earlier, on Friday 2, TradeTech had reported an identical decline, pushing the price down to US$41.50 as no transactions or new demand were apparent, prompting sellers to offer lower prices.
Uranium prices falter on lack of demand | Industrial Fuels and Power
Justice for South Australian anti uranium protestors
Justice Anderson also criticised SA Treasurer Kevin Foley and Police Minister Michael Wright for making antagonistic and provocative comments about the case.
Payout for protesters locked in shipping container – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 9 April 2010, The South Australian Government has been ordered to pay $724,000 to 10 people involved in a protest at the Beverley uranium mine a decade ago.
The Supreme Court has found the nine uranium protesters and a cameraman were assaulted and all but one falsely imprisoned in a shipping container. Continue reading
‘Fourth Generation’ ‘Integral Fast Nuclear Reactors’ would not need uranium mining
This would be achieved through the irradiating of depleted uranium, of which large stockpiles exist. Fresh mining of uranium would not be needed for hundreds of years……
Why James Hansen is wrong on nuclear power | Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, By Renfrey Clarke April 8, 2010″……Compared to earlier installations, the projected fourth-generation plants – specifically, the “integral fast reactor” (IFR) designs that have drawn most attention – promise important advantages., Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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