Uranium shipped to Montreal from Iraq in top secret mission

Uranium shipped to Montreal from Iraq in top secret mission
Last Updated: Saturday, July 5, 2008 | 7:27 PM ET Comments194Recommend111The Associated Press

The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program, a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium, reached Montreal on Saturday to complete a top-secret U.S. operation.

The removal of 550 metric tonnes of "yellowcake," the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment, included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a voyage across two oceans.

The Iraqi government sold the yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp., in a transaction the official described as worth "tens of millions of dollars."

A Cameco spokesman, Lyle Krahn, said the yellowcake will be processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors.

"We are pleased … that we have taken [the yellowcake] from a volatile region into a stable area to produce clean electricity," Krahn said.

U.S. and Iraqi forces have guarded the 9,300-hectare yellowcake site since its discovery.

The deal culminated more than a year of intense diplomatic and military initiatives — kept hushed in fear of ambushes or attacks once the convoys were under way.

It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid their nuclear ambitions.

Diplomats and military leaders first weighed the idea of shipping the yellowcake overland to Kuwait's port on the Persian Gulf.

Such a route, however, would pass through Iraq's Shiite heartland and be within easy range of extremists.

The ship also would need to clear the narrow Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, where U.S. and Iranian ships often come in close contact.

Kuwaiti authorities, too, were reluctant to open their borders to the shipment despite top-level lobbying from Washington.

Deal reached earlier this year
The yellowcake still needed a final destination. Iraqi government officials sought buyers on the commercial market, where uranium prices spiked at about $120 per pound last year. It's currently selling for about half that.

The Cameco deal was reached earlier this year, the official said.

At that point, U.S.-led crews began removing the yellowcake from the Saddam-era containers, some leaking or weakened by corrosion, and reloading the material into about 3,500 secure barrels.

In April, truck convoys started moving the yellowcake from Tuwaitha to Baghdad's international airport.

Then, for two weeks in May, it was ferried on 37 flights to Diego Garcia, a speck of British territory in the Indian Ocean where the U.S. military maintains a base.

On June 3, an American ship left the island for Montreal.

While yellowcake alone is not considered potent enough for a so-called "dirty bomb" — a conventional explosive that disperses radioactive material — it could stir widespread panic if incorporated in a blast.

Yellowcake also can be enriched for use in reactors and, at higher levels, nuclear weapons using sophisticated equipment.

© The Canadian Press, 2008


http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/07/05/saddam-uranium.html
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Uranium expédiées à Montréal en provenance de l'Iraq en mission top secret

Last Updated: Saturday, July 5, 2008 | 7:27 PM ET Dernière mise à jour: Samedi, Juillet 5, 2008 | 7:27 pm ET
The Associated Press The Associated Press

The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program, a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium, reached Montreal on Saturday to complete a top-secret US operation. Le dernier grand vestige de Saddam Hussein le programme nucléaire, un énorme stock de concentrés d'uranium naturel, a atteint Montréal le samedi pour terminer un top-secret US.

The removal of 550 metric tonnes of "yellowcake," the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment, included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a voyage across two oceans. La suppression de 550 tonnes de «yellowcake», les semences de qualité supérieure enrichissement nucléaire, y compris une durée de deux semaines de transport aérien de Bagdad et un voyage à travers deux océans.

The Iraqi government sold the yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp., in a transaction the official described as worth "tens of millions of dollars." Le gouvernement irakien a vendu le yellowcake à un producteur canadien d'uranium, Cameco Corp, dans une transaction officielles décrit comme une valeur de "dizaines de millions de dollars."

A Cameco spokesman, Lyle Krahn, said the yellowcake will be processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors. Un porte-parole de Cameco, Lyle Krahn, a déclaré le yellowcake seront traitées dans des installations en Ontario à être utilisées dans les réacteurs de production.

"We are pleased … that we have taken [the yellowcake] from a volatile region into a stable area to produce clean electricity," Krahn said. "Nous sommes heureux… que nous avons fait [le yellowcake] dans une région instable dans une zone stable pour produire l'électricité propre," dit Krahn.

US and Iraqi forces have guarded the 9,300-hectare yellowcake site since its discovery. États-Unis et les forces iraquiennes ont surveillé l'hectare 9300-yellowcake site depuis sa découverte.

The deal culminated more than a year of intense diplomatic and military initiatives — kept hushed in fear of ambushes or attacks once the convoys were under way. L'opération a culminé plus d'un an d'intenses diplomatiques et initiatives militaires - feutrée conservés dans la crainte d'embuscades ou d'attaques une fois que les convois sont en cours.

It also brought relief to US and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid their nuclear ambitions. Il a également secours aux États-Unis et les autorités iraquiennes qui a préoccupé le cache atteindrait des insurgés ou des trafiquants de passage en Iran pour l'aide à leurs ambitions nucléaires.

Diplomats and military leaders first weighed the idea of shipping the yellowcake overland to Kuwait's port on the Persian Gulf. Les diplomates et les chefs militaires en balance la première idée de l'expédition terrestre yellowcake au Koweït du port sur le golfe Persique.

Such a route, however, would pass through Iraq's Shiite heartland and be within easy range of extremists. Cette route, cependant, passer par l'Iraq et le centre chiite être facilement gamme des extrémistes.

The ship also would need to clear the narrow Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, where US and Iranian ships often come in close contact. Le navire serait également nécessaire d'effacer l'étroit détroit d'Ormuz, à l'embouchure du Golfe, où les États-Unis et les navires iraniens sont souvent en contact étroit.

Kuwaiti authorities, too, were reluctant to open their borders to the shipment despite top-level lobbying from Washington. Autorités koweïtiennes, aussi, ont été réticents à ouvrir leurs frontières à l'expédition en dépit de haut-niveau de pression de Washington.

Deal reached earlier this year Accord conclu au début de cette année
The yellowcake still needed a final destination. Le yellowcake encore besoin d'une destination finale. Iraqi government officials sought buyers on the commercial market, where uranium prices spiked at about $120 per pound last year. Gouvernement iraquien a demandé acheteurs sur le marché commercial, où les prix de l'uranium enrichis à environ 120 $ par livre l'année dernière. It's currently selling for about half that. Il est actuellement en vente pour environ la moitié.

The Cameco deal was reached earlier this year, the official said. La Cameco, qui était atteint au début de cette année, le fonctionnaire dit.

At that point, US-led crews began removing the yellowcake from the Saddam-era containers, some leaking or weakened by corrosion, and reloading the material into about 3,500 secure barrels. À ce moment-là, États-Unis a conduit les équipes ont commencé à éliminer les yellowcake de l'ère Saddam-conteneurs, des fuites ou affaiblie par la corrosion, et rechargez la matière dans environ 3500 barils sûr.

In April, truck convoys started moving the yellowcake from Tuwaitha to Baghdad's international airport. En avril, des convois de camions commencé à bouger le yellowcake de Tuwaitha à Bagdad l'aéroport international.

Then, for two weeks in May, it was ferried on 37 flights to Diego Garcia, a speck of British territory in the Indian Ocean where the US military maintains a base. Puis, pendant deux semaines en Mai, il a été transporté sur 37 vols à Diego Garcia, une particule de territoire britannique dans l'océan Indien, où l'armée américaine maintient une base.

On June 3, an American ship left the island for Montreal. Le Juin 3, un navire américain a quitté l'île de Montréal.

While yellowcake alone is not considered potent enough for a so-called "dirty bomb" — a conventional explosive that disperses radioactive material — it could stir widespread panic if incorporated in a blast. Bien que yellowcake à elle seule n'est pas considérée comme suffisamment puissant pour une soi-disant "bombe sale" - un explosif conventionnel qui disperse les matières radioactives - il pourrait susciter la panique généralisée si elle est incorporée dans une explosion.

Yellowcake also can be enriched for use in reactors and, at higher levels, nuclear weapons using sophisticated equipment. Yellowcake peut également être enrichi pour utilisation dans les réacteurs et, à des niveaux plus élevés, les armes nucléaires en utilisant des équipements sophistiqués.

© The Canadian Press, 2008 © La Presse Canadienne, 2008