Soft landing for bomb uranium

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.1993.11456386· OSTI ID:5893012

Bukharin, O ^[1]

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1. Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow (Russian Federation)

As the superpowers dismantle their enormous arsenals, a major concern is the safe handling of the fissile material removed from nuclear warheads. This article discusses proposed solutions to the radioactive materials handling problem. The focus of this article is the February 18, 1993 U.S.-Russian agreement for the sale of about 500 tons of Russian bomb-grade material to the United States. Over a period of 20 years, this highly enriched uranium would be blended with natural uranium to produce low-enriched uranium suitable for use in conventional power reactors. This article describes the details of the agreement, which are still under negotiation. Arguments over economic issues, the price of uranium, and the distribution of revenues from the sale of the reactor fuel are cited as complications in the agreement. The sale of highly enriched uranium would be the first irreversible transfer of fissile material from the weapons complex to the commerical market. Implications of this transfer are outlined briefly.

• OSTI ID: 5893012
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States), Vol. 49:7; ISSN 0096-5243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
NUCLEAR FUEL CONVERSION
USA
BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
USSR
ARMS CONTROL
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
MARKETING
NUCLEAR POWER
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
AGREEMENTS
ASIA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
EUROPE
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
WEAPONS
290600* - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy
350100 - Arms Control- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation- (1987-)
056000 - Nuclear Fuels- Legislation & Regulations- (1987-)