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Nuclear Facilities

Reprocessing
 
Radioactive Waste
Treatment Station
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Solvent Extraction Chemical Plant Uranium Metal Plant  


Name: Radioactive Waste Treatment Station 
Address/Location: Building 35
Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Subordinate to: Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Size: Composed of two hot cells
Primary Function: Treatment facility for radioactive waste

Description:
The facility had two hot cells that were equipped for a specialized waste treatment process. However, the IAEA inspectors determined that they were not equipped with manipulators.[1]

Key Sources:
[1] Consolidated Report on the First Two IAEA Inspections Under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) of Iraqi Nuclear Capabilities, UN Doc S/22788, 11 July 1991, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/S_22788.pdf>.

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Name: Radiochemistry Laboratory[2]
Other Names: Radiochemical Laboratory
Address/Location: Building 9
Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Subordinate to: Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Size: The main facility for plutonium recovery. The facility was of three separate compartments filled with various industrial equipment
Primary Function: Chemical analysis and plutonium separation

Description: The Radiochemistry Laboratory was established in 1979 through a contract with the Italian firm SNIA-Techint. The laboratory was suitable for laboratory research on reprocessing, and was expanded in the early 1980s.[3] The Laboratory's hot cells were made up of three compartments with 150mm of lead shielding. The first part was used for dissolution, the second for equipment maintenance, and the third for mixer settlers.[4] A separate room in the Laboratory had ten free-standing alpha glove-boxes for actinide separation.[5]

Radiochemistry Laboratory served as the main facility for recovery of plutonium and reprocessing nuclear material that was irradiated in the IRT-5000 research reactor. A laboratory-scale process line (Project 22) based on PUREX technology was successfully constructed and commissioned in the hot cells of the radiochemistry laboratory.[6] IAEA inspections confirmed that three reprocessing campaigns were carried out in the Laboratory's hot cells.[7] The first campaign, November 1989 and February 1990, involved reprocessing of one irradiated fuel element, containing 0.5g plutonium; the second campaign involved two fuel elements with 2.2g plutonium, taking place between the beginning of February 1990 and July 1990.[8] The third activity planned to reprocess two additional fuel elements, which had been irradiated in IRT-5000 between mid-September 1990 and beginning of November 1990.[9] At the time of coalition air strikes in January 1991, the two fuel elements had not undergone reprocessing, and it is not known for certain when and whether it took place. However, an IAEA inspection report states that "some five grams of plutonium" total had been recovered.[10]

Key Sources:
[2] Consolidated Report on the First Two IAEA Inspections Under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) of Iraqi Nuclear Capabilities, UN Doc S/22788, 11 July 1991, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/S_22788.pdf>.
[3] David Albright and Khidhir Hamza, "Iraq's Reconstitution of Its Nuclear Weapons Program," Arms Control Today, October 1998, <http://www.armscontrol.org/act/1998_10/daoc98.asp>.
[4] Consolidated Report on the First Two IAEA Inspections Under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) of Iraqi Nuclear Capabilities.
[5] Ibid.
[6] "The Components of Iraq's clandestine nuclear programme," Attachment 1 to the Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA, UN Doc S/1997/779, 8 October 1997, Iraq Watch, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/IAEA/
s-1997-779-att-1.htm>.
[7] Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA under Paragraph 16 of Security Council Resolution 1051 (1996), UN Doc S/1997/779, 8 October 1997, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/s_1997_779.pdf>.
[8] Report on the Fourth IAEA On-Site Inspection in Iraq under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991), UN Doc S/22986, 28 August 1991, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/S_22986.pdf>.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA; Report on the Fourth IAEA On-Site Inspection in Iraq under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991); and IAEA Iraq Action Team, "Fact Sheet: Iraq's Nuclear Weapons Programme," IAEA, 25 April 2002, <http://www.iaea.or/at/
worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/nwpz.html>. Jane's Intelligence Review's overview of Iraq's nuclear weapons program stated that Iraq recovered six grams of plutonium (not five). Tim Ripley, "Iraq's Nuclear Weapons Programme," Jane's Intelligence Review, December 1992.

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Name: Radioisotope Production Laboratory
Address/Location: Building 15
Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Subordinate to: Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Size: This facility once had 23 lead cells.
Primary Function: Isotope production

Description:
The Soviet-constructed laboratory contained two hot cells, one with 900mm of shielding and the other with 1,200mm barytic shielding.[11] Originally there were 23 lead cells. The IAEA inspectors determined that the activities at this laboratory would be allowed under the terms of Resolution 687.[12]

Key Sources:
[11] "The Components of Iraq's clandestine nuclear programme," Attachment 1 to the Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA, UN Doc S/1997/779, 8 October 1997, Iraq Watch, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/IAEA/s-1997-779-att-1.htm>; and Jed C. Snyder, "The Road to Osiraq: Baghdad's Quest for the Bomb," The Middle East Journal, Vol. 37, No. 4, Autumn 1983, p. 565.
[12] Report on the Fourth IAEA On-Site Inspection in Iraq under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991), UN Doc S/22986, 28 August 1991, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/S_22986.pdf>.

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Name: Solvent Extraction Chemical Plant
Other Names: Project 601
Address/Location: Building 22
Active Metallurgy Testing Laboratory (LAMA)
Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Subordinate to: Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Size: Project 601 was constructed within two hot cells at the Active Metallurgy Testing Laboratory (LAMA)
Primary Function: Uranium recovery

Description:
In August 1990, Project 601 was established with the aim of extracting HEU from research reactor fuel for further use as the core material of a nuclear weapon. A chemical plant based on solvent extraction technology was designed and installed in about three months in the hot cells of the Active Metallurgy Testing Laboratory (LAMA) in Building 22. Iraq hoped that the laboratory would produce 26kg of HEU in two to three months.[13] During December 1990, the plant was commissioned using unirradiated natural uranium solutions. The plant was ready to receive HEU feedstock in early 1991, however, the clearance to start the actual operations never came.[14]

The building and two hot cells inside the laboratory were heavily bombed during coalition air strikes.[15] The plant components were salvaged and stored at the Al-Shakili storage complex near Al-Tuwaitha site.[16]

Key Sources:
[13] "Iraq's Nuclear Weapon Program," Iraq Watch, accessed on 11/27/2002, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/wmd/nuclear.html>.
[14] "The Components of Iraq's clandestine nuclear programme," Attachment 1 to the Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA, UN Doc S/1997/779, 8 October 1997, Iraq Watch, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/IAEA/s-1997-779-att-1.htm>.
[15] Consolidated Report on the First Two IAEA Inspections Under Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) of Iraqi Nuclear Capabilities, UN Doc S/22788, 11 July 1991, <http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/Programmes/ActionTeam/
reports/S_22788.pdf>.
[16] "The Components of Iraq's clandestine nuclear programme."

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Name: Uranium Metal Plant
Other Names: Project 602
Address/Location: Building 64
Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Subordinate to: Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center
Size: Large plant
Primary Function: Feed material for weapons core components

Description:
By late 1989, Iraq designed and constructed a large-scale plant in Building 64 at Al-Tuwaitha to produce uranium metal of high purity from the recovered HEU in the form of UNH. The metal form would then be used as the feed material for casting the core components of a nuclear weapon. The project involved several stages for the conversion of the input UNH through UO4 to UO2, the conversion of UO2 to UF4, the reduction of the UF4 to uranium metal, and systems for waste recovery. The plant was being commissioned in January 1991 when it was severely damaged by coalition air strikes. Much of the equipment was salvaged and moved to the Al-Zahf Al-Kabir metallurgical facility in the Taji area.[17]

Key Sources:
[17] "The Components of Iraq's clandestine nuclear programme," Attachment 1 to the Fourth Consolidated Report of the Director General of the IAEA, UN Doc S/1997/779, 8 October 1997, Iraq Watch, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/un/IAEA/s-1997-779-att-1.htm>.

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Updated December 2003



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The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
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U.S. and Hostile Powers: Iraq
Limiting the Use of WMD between Regional Powers: Iran vs. Iraq—Options
Treaties and Organizations
Senate Intel Panel Releases Two Iraq Reports (2006)
In Focus: IAEA and Iraq (2005)
UNMOVIC 21st Quarterly Report (2005),
Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD (2004)
Saddam's Iraq and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Iraq as a Case Study of a Middle Eastern Proliferant (2004)
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WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications (2004)
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Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Capable Missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) (2003)
International Atomic Energy Agency: Iraq Action Team (2003)
Unresolved Disarmament Issues: Iraq's Proscribed Weapons Programmes (2003)
Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Net Assessment (2002)
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The Future of Chemical and Biological Disarmament in Iraq: From UNSCOM to UNMOVIC (1999)
UNSCOM's Comprehensive Review
Strengthening the BWC: Lessons from the UNSCOM Experience (1997)
Monitoring and Verification in a Noncooperative Environment: Lessons from the UN Experience in Iraq (1996)
Bill of Indictment: German Court Case Involving Iraq's Weapon Procurement (1993)
Iraq's Chemical and Biological Capability in the Kuwait Theater of Operations (1990)



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