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The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) cleared out of several nations

US says 5 nations clear out weapons-grade uranium NewsDay,  DOUGLAS BIRCH  WASHINGTON – (AP)  March 22, 2012  The U.S. has helped five nations completely clear out  their stocks of highly enriched uranium since President Barack Obama outlined his plans for securing all weapons-usable materials worldwide, officials say, citing it as progress in the administration’s efforts to prevent nuclear weapons from getting in terrorists’ hands.

Anne Harrington, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nonproliferation chief, said that since Obama’s April 2009 speech in Prague announcing his plans, the U.S. has helped remove enough material from about a dozen countries to make almost 30 warheads. She added that several global leaders are expected to use a nuclear security summit in Seoul, South Korea, which starts Sunday, to announce similar advances.

Arms control experts say the most difficult part of building an atomic bomb is acquiring the weapons-grade uranium or plutonium needed for the explosive core of the weapon. Locking up or eliminating these materials is crucial to preventing nuclear-armed terror.
Harrington said that’s the administration’s top national security concern: “Issue No. 1 … above anything else, keeping this material out of the hands of terrorists,” she said.
Over the past three years, officials say, the U.S. has helped Romania,
Libya, Turkey, Chile and Serbia completely clear out their stockpiles
of weapons-usable uranium. They join 13 other nations that did so
previously — Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, the
Philippines, Portugal, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and
Thailand.
For the most part, this has meant shutting down civilian research
reactors fueled by weapons-grade uranium, or converting those reactors
to use low-enriched uranium…..
http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/us-says-5-nations-clear-out-weapons-grade-uranium-1.3617219

March 24, 2012 Posted by | Uranium, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

1.5 tons of enriched uranium returned to Russia

Russia takes back Soviet-era uranium Voice of Russia, Mar 23, 2012  Acting on Russian-American counter-proliferation agreements, Russia has already withdrawn over
1.5 tons of enriched uranium from Soviet-built nuclear installations around the world. The amount would have been enough for making up to 100 nuclear weapons. http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_03_23/69377698/

March 24, 2012 Posted by | Russia, Uranium, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Radiation risk is real, despite what Lynas and Malaysian government say

Let’s de-politicise the Lynas issue — Stop Lynas Coalition, The Malaysian Insider, March 21, 2012  The majority of us anti-Lynas people feel offended by the government’s unending insistence the issue is politicised. We feel belittled by a government that does not see us rakyat as capable of thinking for ourselves, and so easily hoodwinked by the opposition.

They insist on talking facts, which came to mean solely the IAEA review report, but completely ignored all other dissenting opinions, even if these dissenting opinions are voiced by esteemed professional bodies such as the Bar Council and the Malaysian Medical Association. Perhaps, their members are somehow misled too.

These opinions are raised over time in published articles and public feedback and they have either been poorly addressed, or completely ignored. I hope to raise 3 main ones in this article and request that the government gives them befitting consideration so that we can de-politicise this Lynas issue.

a) The radiation risk is greater than what Lynas and the Malaysian government are willing to admit Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | health, Malaysia, Reference, Uranium | Leave a comment

Malaysia rare earths plant, construction problems as well as political

the opposition had decided not to take part in the committee because the government was using the panel to try to quell public worries……. the government would allow the plant to go ahead regardless of the committee’s findings…..

Political and Construction Hurdles for Malaysia Rare Earths Plant NYT, By LIZ GOOCH and KEITH BRADSHER March 21, 2012 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A controversial rare earth metal refinery in Malaysia encountered further obstacles this week, with the country’s political opposition refusing to participate in a parliamentary committee set up to investigate the safety of the plant and with hints that the refinery could face further construction delays. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Malaysia, Uranium | Leave a comment

Confusing messages about where Lynas will put its rare earths radioactive wastes

Lynas had denied reports that the Western Australian government had refused to accept the radioactive waste from the miner’s RM2.5 billion rare earth plant in Malaysia.

“If the (Australian) government accepts waste, why not they (Lynas) stay in own country?” Himpunan Hijau chairman Wong Tack asked. Wong said Lynas Corp was “clearly taking advantage” of Malaysia’s
“loose environmental laws” and “non-functioning administration”.

Australia: No request from Lynas to accept waste http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/australia-no-request-from-lynas-to-accept-waste By Lisa J. Ariffin March KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Canberra
has yet to receive any request from Lynas Corp to accept radioactive waste from the Australian miner’s controversial rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan that will be ready this June.

“Australia has not received any request to import residues from the plant,” an Australian High Commission spokesman told The Malaysian Insider when contacted today. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, Malaysia, Uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

Easy to see why Australian company Lynas puts its rare earths plant in Malaysia

Let’s de-politicise the Lynas issue — Stop Lynas Coalition, The Malaysian Insider  March 21, 2012  “…….Lynas loves to boast that their project is approved in Australia also.  Given Australia’s high environmental standard, if it is approved in Australia, why would Malaysians reject it? However, Lynas hid from the public that the Australian proposal was approved under extremely stringent conditions.

The table shows the conditions under the Australian proposal [6] compared to LAMP.

Regardless of what justification the government gives, any person of general intellect can deduce that LAMP is shifted to our shores because Lynas wants to dump its waste here. How can our government inflict such indignity on the very people it is elected to protect?…

[6] “Proposed rare earths mining and beneficiation at Mt Weld, Laverton and secondary processing at Meenaar, near Northm”, Ashton Rare Earths Ltd, August 1992.    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/lets-de-politicise-the-lynas-issue-stop-lynas-coalition

March 22, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, Malaysia, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

Uranium mining threatens water supply

even a small spill could affect the water supply for growing populations in North Carolina, and that radioactive mill waste would have to be monitored forever.

Water worries continue to flow around uranium controversy  Go Dan River, 21 March 12, Residents and leaders downstream of a proposed uranium site in Pittsylvania County say they bear risks from the project, but have nothing to gain. Continue reading →

March 22, 2012 Posted by | Uranium, USA, water | Leave a comment

Rare earths processing – a potent environmental polluter

China’s rare earths refineries…… have poisoned rivers with acid and piled up radioactive waste — an environmental cost that aroused little controversy in developed, consuming nations

Malaysian protesters blame an earlier rare earths plant, shut by Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemicals in 1992, for birth defects and a high number of leukemia cases……

Environmental campaigners point to studies done in both New Jersey and China showing that thorium radiation emitted during the refining process and by plant waste can cause cancer, leukemia, birth defects and chronic lung diseases.

Pollution the big barrier to freer trade in rare earths Al Arabiya News,, 19 March 2012 Environmental campaigners point to studies done in both New Jersey and China showing that thorium radiation emitted during the refining process and by plant waste can cause cancer, leukemia, birth defects and chronic lung diseases.

Tackling pollution, not freeing up trade, is regarded as the solution to a global shortage of rare earths, the metals that are the building blocks of the 21st century.  Continue reading →

March 20, 2012 Posted by | China, environment, Uranium | Leave a comment

Earth Justice and native peoples fight to save Grand Canyon from uranium mining

Uranium Industry Attack on Grand Canyon, Earth Justice 17 MARCH 2012,  Yet another toxic mining threat  “……..The new foes of protecting the Grand Canyon region look a lot like Mr. Cameron.  They are uranium miners who’ve staked thousands of claims ringing the national park.

Uranium mining has left a toxic legacy  in the area, polluting water that run through the Park, which has prompted the Park Service to warn hikers not to drink the water of certain streams, iincluding Horn Creek . (New mines are supposed to be better and cleaner. But the water pollution threatened by the “modern” flooded mines shows otherwise.)

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar stood up for protecting the lands around the national park, putting a million acres  off limits to new mining claims.

The uranium industry, like Mr. Cameron, doesn’t like protecting the Grand Canyon . And like Mr. Cameron, they are attacking not only the Grand Canyon protection measures, but also the Interior Secretary’s authority to protect lands. (Industry claims the Interior Department can’t protect more than 5,000 acres at a time from uranium mining claims.)

This time, Earthjustice and our clients – the Havasupai Tribe , Grand Canyon Trust , Center for Biological Diversity , Sierra Club , and National Parks Conservation Association  – will be fighting to protect the Grand Canyon.  (We filed legal papers to formally intervene in the first of three industry suits last week.)

If history is going to repeat itself, with miners hoping to degrade wildlife habitat, waters and one of America’s natural wonders for profit, we’ll work to ensure the courts again recognize the Canyon’s majesty and again reject the miner’s attacks.  http://earthjustice.org/blog/2012-march/uranium-industry-attack-on-grand-canyon

March 19, 2012 Posted by | Legal, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Taxpayer cleaning up many millions of tons of uranium wastes,since company went bankrupt

Five Million Tons Of Uranium Tailing Disposed, The U.S. Department Of Energy Says They Are A Third Of The Way Done With Their Entire Project To Move All Of The Tailings To Crested Junction KJCT8.com Janelle Ericsson  MOAB, UT. — Five million tons of uranium tailings has been removed from an old waste site near the river in Moab. The U.S. Department of Energy says they are a third of the way done with their entire project to move all of the tailings to Crested Junction.
Once they reach their destination they will be put in an engineered cell that will prevent contamination to ground water for a thousand years…

. The UMTRA project was originally started in 2001 when the a corporation went bankrupt. Through legislative actions, the project was given to the Department of Energy to take responsibility of the clean up.

March 19, 2012 Posted by | Uranium, USA, wastes | Leave a comment

Warning to rare earths company about its radioactive wastes problem

“Where exactly is ‘abroad’? Identify and prove to us which country outside of Malaysia is willing to accept this massive [volume of] toxic waste.

AELB says will close Lynas plant if waste agreement broken http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/aelb-says-will-close-lynas-plant-if-waste-agreement-broken The Malaysian Insider, March 15, 2012  KUALA LUMPUR,   The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) assured Malaysians today it will shutter Lynas Corporation’s rare earth plant in Kuantan if the Australian mining firm violates conditions on the disposal of radioactive material.

According to Star Online, the regulator reminded at its weekly media briefing today that that firm had already struck an agreement with local authorities here for it to return any radioactive waste to Australia if it fails to set up a permanent disposal facility here. Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Malaysia, politics, Uranium | Leave a comment

Malaysians not impressed by Australian rare earths company Lynas

Four government ministries have been roped in to help Lynas find a suitable storage site in the country is not only amusing but downright deploring. The statement by the international trade and industry minister that the radio active wastes will be disposed of overseas, even though it may break international laws is really not very assuring.

Lynas cannot continue to hide behind the Malaysian government’s skirt in its operations

Lynas Corp’s absurd publicity stunts — The Malaysian Insider, Iskandar Dzulkarnain March 14, 2012 ”….what can the Penang CM do to alleviate the current controversy surrounding the Lynas rare earth plant? Would his personal opinion or intervention buy over the thousands of critics who are against the existence of the Rare Earth Plant in Pahang State?

Isn’t it more appropriate to meet with Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of Pakatan Rakyat who is against the controversial project based on allegations that the Australian miner has not given enough assurances on how it will handle the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced at the refinery? Continue reading →

March 16, 2012 Posted by | Malaysia, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | Leave a comment

Yes, rare earths processing does cause environmental damage

Lynas says US-led offensive against China unlikely to succeed, BY: BARRY FITZGERALD,  The Australian March 15, 2012 “…….The executive chairman of Sydney-based Lynas, Nick Curtis, said yesterday China had “some complex and possibly legitimate argument about the environmental damage that rare earths was doing in China, and the consequent right it had to limit production through export quotas as a consequence of that”…. The key issue remained that the supply of rare earths was in structural deficit, as China was shrinking supply for environmental reasons, which were real, Mr Curtis said….
Lynas is part of the Western world’s plan to increase non-Chinese supplies of rare earths, a group of 17 elements increasingly used in magnets in hybrid car motors, compact fluorescent light bulbs, flatpanel displays, iPads and automotive catalytic converters. The $2 billion company, with the help of funding from Japan, has developed the Mt Weld rare earths mine in Western Australia and is close to completing a controversial finishing plant in Malaysia.

The Malaysian plant is dogged by local opposition because of radiation
fears….  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/lynas-says-us-led-offensive-against-china-unlikely-to-succeed/story-e6frg9df-1226299786618

March 15, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, Uranium | Leave a comment

Down, down, continues the price of uranium

Spot Uranium Drifts Downward.  by Melissa West, Uranium Researcher, 13 March 12 Uranium Investing News, Platts reported spot uranium prices are continuing to drop at a slightly faster rate than earlier this year. As quoted in the market news:

TradeTech on Friday lowered its weekly spot price to $51 a pound U3O8, a drop of 80 cents/lb from TradeTech’s price March 2. TradeTech said the drop was due largely to a lack of buying interest and “aggressively priced material offered by one motivated seller.” http://uraniuminvestingnews.com/10910/spot-uranium-drifts-downward.html

March 14, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, business and costs, Uranium | Leave a comment

China restricting rare earths production for environmental reasons

China defends rare earths limits The Age, JOE McDONALD March 13, 2012 China defended curbs on production of rare earths used in mobile phones and other high-tech products as an environmental measure Tuesday… Beijing needs to limit environmental damage and conserve scarce resources, said a foreign ministry spokesman, Liu Weimin.

“We think the policy is in line with WTO rules,” Liu said at a regular briefing…… Rare earths are 17 elements including cerium, dysprosium and lanthanum that are used in manufacturing flat-screen TVs, batteries for electric cars and wind turbines. They also are used
in some high-tech weapons…. http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/china-defends-rare-earths-limits-20120313-1uygw.html

March 14, 2012 Posted by | China, Uranium | Leave a comment

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