Did Stuxnet computer worm damage Iran’s uranium enrichment facility?
A sophisticated malworm such as Stuxnet could potentially include code that would cause uranium enriching centrifuges to explode under high pressure, or at a certain date. Did it actually do it? There were reports that Iran’s uranium enrichment plant at the Natanz facility was attacked by Stuxnet and sustained damage. An earlier report suggested that in 2009 that site suffered a serious nuclear accident that reduced the number of uranium enriching centrifuges by at least 25%. Was Stuxnet the reason?
A Cyber War Against Iran: Whodunit?, THE HUFFINGTON POST, by Haggai Carmon:, 13 Oct 10, The Iranians are frantically looking for those responsible for infecting their nuclear and industrial facilities with Stuxnet, an extremely sophisticated and dangerous viral computer malworm………… Continue reading
Secret transport of highly enriched uranium across Poland
Top secret uranium shipment passes through Poland, TheNews.pl :: News from Poland, 12.10.2010 It has been reported that three shipping containers with thick metal flasks containing highly enriched uranium, or HEU, were loaded onto a specially converted Russian ship in the Baltic port of Gdansk on 26 September….
The Polish uranium shipment was big enough to construct eight nuclear bombs, writes “The Sunday Telegraph”, a British weekly whose reporters observed the shipment organised by American specialists…..The shipment travelled across half of Poland in total secrecy.
Polish police and maritime border guards refused to confirm or comment on the secret shipment….Top secret uranium shipment passes through Poland – TheNews.pl :: News from Poland
Foreign countries taking over USA uranium industry
the disintegration of boundaries in the uranium-mining industry, a trend that has picked up in uranium-rich Utah……..
foreign companies with claims to U.S. minerals pay no royalties under the 1872 Mining Act…….
Russian company may get Utah town and uranium | The Salt Lake Tribune, By JUDY FAHYS Oct 10, 2010 “…..the town itself, the Shootaring Canyon uranium mill a few miles up the highway, more than 10,000 acres of uranium claims in Utah and holdings in South Dakota, Wyoming and Texas — all of it will be in the portfolio of ARMZ’s parent company, Rosatom, the Russian nuclear agency, which last month provided fuel for Iran’s nuclear power plant….. Continue reading
In situ mining subject to stricter rules and higher fees
New rules take effect for Colorado uranium mines | San Francisco Examiner, Associated Press. 09/30/10 PDTDENVER — New rules for uranium mining in Colorado are now in effect.State lawmakers passed three bills in 2008 that prompted the changes, and the new rules took effect Thursday.The legislation was aimed at protecting groundwater during in-situ uranium mining, which involves injecting a chemical mixture into a site to draw uranium out. The laws also updated mining fees and pushed for disclosure of more information during prospecting activities.Now, all uranium mines must have detailed environmental protection plans. Applicants for in-situ leach uranium mines have to show the technology they want to use has been used before without harming groundwater quality, and they can’t be in violation at another operation. New rules take effect for Colorado uranium mines | San Francisco Examiner
Slow progress in cleaning up uranium groundwater contamination
State records and Denver Water testing data indicate the pumping has failed to reduce uranium levels that far exceed drinking-water standards in Ralston Creek, which flows into Denver Water’s Ralston Reservoir.
Cotter Corp. puts a price on clean By Bruce FinleyThe Denver Post, 30 Sept 10, The federal government reimbursed Cotter Corp. nearly $3 million for cleanup of its toxic uranium mill near Cañon City — and could pay $3.3 million more for work in the future. But the work mopping up tailings and contaminated groundwater that began in 1984 is not scheduled to be complete until 2027. Continue reading
New laser uranium enrichment technology fraught with problems
Regulatory agencies are worried that laser enrichment of uranium could lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons….GE and Hitachi “are betting that there will be an upsurge of nuclear power plant construction—that’s a huge and extremely risky bet.”….laser enrichment has been held back by substantial technical hurdles.
Laser Uranium Enrichment Makes a Comeback The controversial technology poses proliferation risks, but nuclear firms press on, IEEE Spectrum: By Sandra Upson 1 October 2010 Two technology giants, GE and Hitachi, are betting big on a nuclear renaissance. Continue reading
Iran’s uranium enrichment plant the likely target of Stuxnet worm
‘Computer virus in Iran actually targeted larger nuclear facility’ Haaretz Daily Newspaper By Yossi Melman, 28 Sept 10, New analysis, based on the characteristic behavior of the Stuxnet worm, contradicts earlier assessments that the target was the nuclear reactor at Bushehr. Continue reading
AREVA’s chief heads to Niger as uranium mines security deteriorates
The warning said the security situation in the Arlit region — where Areva runs uranium mines and where the five French nationals, a Togolese and a Madagascan were kidnapped by Al-Qaeda linked militants — was deteriorating.
Hostage crisis: French nuclear boss heads to Niger, Google hosted news, (AFP) – 28 Sept 10, PARIS — The chairwoman of French state-owned nuclear giant Areva is to visit the firm’s operation in Niger, the company said Monday, after Al-Qaeda militants kidnapped several of her employees there.”Anne Lauvergeon plans to visit Niger soon,” a spokesman said, declining to confirm a report that she would travel on Thursday. The purpose of her visit is to visit Areva employees in the region, the spokesman said. Continue reading
German Chancellor Merkel’s nuclear policy likely to be derailed
the German federal government’s own Advisory Council on the Environment stated that “By 2050, Germany’s energy needs can be supplied 100% through electricity derived from renewable energy sources,” however, “the federal government must set the course for the conversion of the energy system now.”
Germany’s Burgeoning Anti-Nuclear Movement Promises to Derail Merkel’s Energy Policy, THE HUFFUNGTON POST, Tina Gerhardt, 28 Sept 10, Merkel’s decision has reignited Germany’s anti-nuclear movement. A poll conducted last week by ZDF television found sixty-one percent of Germans oppose the plan of Merkel’s center-right coalition of Christian Democrats (CDU) and Free Democrats (FDP). Continue reading
A solar company investing in nuclear?
The Property consists of two contiguous mineral dispositions, covering an area of ~2000 hectares, in the western Athabasca Basin, 8.3km west of the Cluff Lake Mine and 12.7km northwest of AREVA/UEX’s Shea Creek Project…..The Athabasca Basin is the most productive uranium producing region in the world, producing approximately 1/3 of the world uranium each year.
Solar Energy Options Major Uranium Prospect in the Athabasca Basin – MarketWatch Sept. 27, 2010, (BUSINESS WIRE) — Solar Energy Limited is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with an arms’-length vendor by which the Company can earn a 100% interest in the West Carswell Property (the “Property”). Continue reading
Terrorist danger to France’s uranium mines in Niger
Earlier this year, the US warned that al Qaeda’s interest in nuclear weapons was still strong and said the risk of nuclear terrorism was serious.
France sees second attack on energy workers in West Africa, Oil & Gas Journal, Sep 27, 2010 By Eric Watkins,“……………The attack on the Bourbon Alexandre came just 6 days after members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization captured five French nationals in Niger’s uranium fields. Continue reading
Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed
Uranium author visits Shiprock, Farmington Daily Times, By Alysa Landry The Daily Times 09/25/2010 SHIPROCK — The book begins much the same as did the betrayal of the Navajo people during the boom of Cold War-era uranium mining — with Anglo men creeping onto its pages like poison.The book is
“Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed.“Its author is Judy Pasternak, a former investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Its story, based on two years of research, unfolds with a clarity spared from the Navajo miners who were never told that the “yellow dirt” they mined would be a devastating character in the tale of the Diné people…….
Niger getting too dangerous for foreign nuclear companies
Western firms “that steal our wealth and take advantage of our people should know that they are legitimate targets for the mujaheddin and they should leave promptly because our land is not a field for plunder and our wealth is not something to be taken advantage of.”
NIAMEY, Niger, Sept. 24 (UPI) — Suddenly, the uranium mining industry is becoming a risky business, it seems.Islamic militants who kidnapped seven people at a French-owned uranium mine in Niger Sept. 16 have warned Western firms that “steal our wealth … to leave promptly.”… Continue reading
AREVA in trouble in Niger: Paladin uranium gets out
Paladin Energy Ltd: Defeating Conditions Triggered Regarding Bid for NGM Resources Ltd – MarketWatch, 25 Sept 10, ” On September 16, 2010, forces associated with al-Qaida in the Magreb (North Africa) (AQIM) entered the town of Arlit in Niger’s uranium mining region and abducted seven people, employed by the French uranium company Areva and its construction contractor, Vinci. Continue reading
Low uranium price stops building of new plant
R3.5bn uranium project hit by price slump., Brendan Ryan , 22 Sep 2010 [miningmx.com] — CONSTRUCTION of the proposed R3.5bn Rand Uranium plant to be built near Randfontein could be delayed because of current low uranium prices
That’s according to Harmony CEO, Graham Briggs, who was replying to a question posed after his presentation to the Denver Gold Forum being held in Denver, Colorado. Harmony holds a 40% stake in the unlisted Rand Uranium into which it injected assets formerly belonging to the Cooke and Randfontein sections of the Randfontein mine including the high uranium grade Cooke tailings dump. Uranium prices have been depressed for the past 18 months….
1 This Month
Website of the Week
Now until to February 10, 2026 Radioactive waste storage in France: the debate is finally open! How to participate?
-
Archives
- January 2026 (162)
- December 2025 (358)
- November 2025 (359)
- October 2025 (377)
- September 2025 (258)
- August 2025 (319)
- July 2025 (230)
- June 2025 (348)
- May 2025 (261)
- April 2025 (305)
- March 2025 (319)
- February 2025 (234)
-
Categories
- 1
- 1 NUCLEAR ISSUES
- business and costs
- climate change
- culture and arts
- ENERGY
- environment
- health
- history
- indigenous issues
- Legal
- marketing of nuclear
- media
- opposition to nuclear
- PERSONAL STORIES
- politics
- politics international
- Religion and ethics
- safety
- secrets,lies and civil liberties
- spinbuster
- technology
- Uranium
- wastes
- weapons and war
- Women
- 2 WORLD
- ACTION
- AFRICA
- Atrocities
- AUSTRALIA
- Christina's notes
- Christina's themes
- culture and arts
- Events
- Fuk 2022
- Fuk 2023
- Fukushima 2017
- Fukushima 2018
- fukushima 2019
- Fukushima 2020
- Fukushima 2021
- general
- global warming
- Humour (God we need it)
- Nuclear
- RARE EARTHS
- Reference
- resources – print
- Resources -audiovicual
- Weekly Newsletter
- World
- World Nuclear
- YouTube
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
nuclear-news 