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  • Nuclear proliferation, in ASSAM

    Guwahati, April 12 (IANS) Three men have been arrested by police in Assam for allegedly possessing a kilogram of uranium.


    A police spokesman said a kilogram of powdery substance had been seized from a youth in Assam's main city Guwahati Tuesday after a team of policemen posed as customers and struck a deal for buying the uranium from him for Rs.5 million.


    The packet of powdery substance bore the printed inscription - 'Explosive number 2000/LG/27-D' and 'B/337 Enriched Uranium, Department of Atomic Energy, Directorate of Explosive and Research Centre, Northeast Region, Shillong'.


    Two more youths were arrested later and the three were booked under the Explosives Act.


    'We are not sure what the powdery substance is. We have sent the packet for forensic examination to ascertain if it is uranium or something else,' the spokesman said.


    Experts, however, are sceptical about the seizure, saying it was impossible to get enriched uranium in the region.


    Police officials are in touch with Department of Atomic Energy officials based in Shillong, the capital of the neighbouring state of Meghalaya.


    The department has for several years been exploring uranium ore deposits at Domiasiat in Meghalaya, but has so far been unable to commercially exploit them because local tribal authorities are yet to clear mining operations.


    The spokesman said: 'If the forensic results prove that the powdery substance is enriched uranium and stolen from the Department of Atomic Energy, then it is a very serious thing.'


    Department of Atomic Energy officials in Shillong were not immediately available for comments.


    Police had arrested two youths last year in Guwahati with a similar consignment with almost the same inscriptions like the seizure made Tuesday.


    'The investigating officer dealing that case is now out of (Guwahati) and hence we are not in a position to tell the results of the forensic test,' the spokesman said.


    According to surveys by the Department of Atomic Energy, there could be up to 10,000 tonnes of uranium ore at Domiasiat area - by far the largest and richest sandstone-type deposits available in India.


    The ore is spread over a mountainous terrain in deposits varying from eight to 47 metres below the surface in and around Domiasiat, 135 km west of Shillong.


    After initial operations, the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) was forced to wind up mining in the mid-1990s following stiff opposition from villagers and other pressure groups in Meghalaya who alleged radioactive emissions were posing serious health hazards.


    Uranium is an important mineral ore for making nuclear weapons, with experts saying the untapped reserve at Domiasiat could be a potential resource for India's nuclear research programme.

    http://in.news.yahoo.com/060412/43/63i3g.html

  • #2
    This isnt exactly nuclear proliferation. Its just illegal uranium mining.
    Brahma Sarvam Jagan Mithya
    Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah

    Comment


    • #3
      Platinum,

      Didn't you or someone not post this earlier also?

      Why the need for a second post?

      Are you trolling?

      If so, you are treading dangerous ground!

      Do not show your ignorance on what is nuclear proliferation.

      Are you aware how enriched uranium is achieved.

      Go back to your books in a proper school that is not of the theological strain!

      Last edited by Ray; 24 Apr 06,, 22:04.


      "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

      I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

      HAKUNA MATATA

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by roshan
        This isnt exactly nuclear proliferation. Its just illegal uranium mining.

        Don't bother, he is yet to figure out what Nu clear Profileration means

        Comment


        • #5
          The packet of powdery substance bore the printed inscription - 'Explosive number 2000/LG/27-D' and 'B/337 Enriched Uranium, Department of Atomic Energy, Directorate of Explosive and Research Centre, Northeast Region, Shillong'.
          There is no DAE organization by the name of Directorate of Explosive and Research Center. And there is no DAE facility in Shillong.

          http://www.dae.gov.in/publ/indmap.htm

          So much for butter-cookie proliferation. When combined in any proportion with Platinum's home brewed Kool-Aid, it becomes a potent weapon of mass distraction. Trade in these items must be regulated

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Anoop C
            So much for butter-cookie proliferation. When combined in any proportion with Platinum's home brewed Kool-Aid, it becomes a potent weapon of mass distraction. Trade in these items must be regulated
            :)
            Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Anoop C
              There is no DAE organization by the name of Directorate of Explosive and Research Center. And there is no DAE facility in Shillong.
              It's the Directorate of Exploration and Research.

              Definitely part of the DAE, and definitely in Shillong. Their task seems to be to explore and exploit uranium in sandstone beds.

              http://www.amd.gov.in/regions/ner.htm

              While the OP certainly doesn't rise to proliferation, denial of the story or the existence of the facility seems also to lack a certain objectivity...
              "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by highsea
                It's the Directorate of Exploration and Research.

                Definitely part of the DAE, and definitely in Shillong. Their task seems to be to explore and exploit uranium in sandstone beds.

                http://www.amd.gov.in/regions/ner.htm

                While the OP certainly doesn't rise to proliferation, denial of the story or the existence of the facility seems also to lack a certain objectivity...
                My dear chap, I never denied the existence of the Directorate of Exploration and Research. If you had looked closely at my link, you'd have seen that very organization's name appear in the list of facilities, except that it is HQ-ed in Hyderabad. That list also showed the only facility in the NE as being in Dibrugargh.

                I stand corrected on the lack of a DAE facility in Shillong. Thanks for pointing it out.

                I merely denied the existence of the Directorate of Explosive and Research Center as a DAE facility, which was quoted as the parent organization of that sample of powder in the newspaper report linked to this story.

                Now, am I to infer that the seizure of un-enriched Uranium ore, if it indeed turns out to be that bearing the markings of a non-existent DAE facility, constitutes (a) nuclear proliferation (sic); (b) vigilant law-enforcement or (c) butter cookie induced hallucinations?

                Perhaps you were a trifle quick to sit in judgement on my objectivity or lack thereof?

                Comment


                • #9
                  I can easily imagine that the error in the name is just an error in translation. This sort of thing is quite common in stories from the region.

                  The case of uranium being mishandled or stolen is of more concern.
                  "We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." -President Barack Obama 11/25/2008

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by highsea
                    I can easily imagine that the error in the name is just an error in translation. This sort of thing is quite common in stories from the region.
                    More like shoddy reporting. DAE conducts its business primarily in English (and I assume, print its labels) in addition to Hindi and just maybe the local language. It is essential that it conduct its business in English, because that is the only language that all of its employees will understand.

                    The case of uranium being mishandled or stolen is of more concern.
                    No argument there. But we don't know if it is indeed Uranium (enriched or otherwise) yet, do we?

                    The label is also reported to have said 'Explosive number 2000/LG/27-D'. Now I don't know much about nuclear physics, but I do know something about Hazards Labels. And as I understand it, even enriched Uranium is not explosive under room temperature and pressure, which makes the label rather curious. Isn't it also possible that the powder was an explosive used for mine-blasting purposes, given the nature of the DAE facility?

                    But this thread has not been without its uses. So far, we have certainly established that Platinum's Kool-Aid is that trace element that confers explosive criticality to any powdery material.

                    Comment

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