AUSTRALIA,,/^ CommonweaJth of Australia AUSTRAL AN ATOMC ENERGY COMMISS ON EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT BEING THE COMMISSION'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 1970 AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION The Minister of State for National Development The Honourable D. E. Fairbairn, D.F.C., MP. (To 13 November 1969) The Honourable R. W. C. Swartz, M.B.E., E.D., MP. (From 20 November 1969) Members of the Commission During the Year 1969-70 Chairman Sir Philip Baxter, K.B.E., C.M.G., B.Sc., Ph.D.(Birm.), F.A.A., F.R.A.C.I. Deputy Chairman R. G. Ward, MA, Ph.D.(Cantab.) Members K. F. Alder, M.Sc., F.I.M. R. W. Boswell, O.B.E., M.Sc. (To 21 October 1969) L. F. Bott, D.S.C., B.Com. (From 1 December 1969) M. C. Timbs, B.Ec., A.A.S.A., FAI.M. (Executive Member) Secretary W. B. Lynch, BA ADVISORY COMMITTEES Appointed under Section 20 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1953-66 Commonwealth of Australia Advisory Committee on Uranium Mining AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION H. M. Murray, C.B.E., B.Sc., B.Met.E., M.Aus.I.M.M., Chairman. F. S, Anderson, C.B.E., B.Mech.E., M.I.M.M., M.Aus.I.M.M., M.I.E.Aust. Tulius Kruttschnitt, Ph.B.(Yale), M.I.M.M., M.Aus.I.M.M., M.Am.I.M.M.E. r Function: To advise the Commission on uranium mining and the treatm :it of uranium To the Honourable R. W. C. Swartz, M.B.E., E.D., M.P., ores. Minister of State for National Development, Parliament House, Safety Review Committee Canberra, A.C.T. Professor S. Sunderland, C.M.G., M.D., B.S., D.Sc., F.R.A.C.P., F.R.A.C.S., F.A.A., Chairman. Sir, Dr. C. J. Cummins, M.B., B.S., D.P.H. D. J. Stevens, O.B.E., B.Sc., A.IristP. In accordance with Section 31 of the Atomic Energy Act, Function: To review periodically the health 1953-66, we submit the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Australian and safety standards and procedures adopted by the Commission in the operation of its Atomic Energy Commission, covering the Commission's operations reactors and in the use of radiation, radioactive for the financial year ended 30 June 1970. substances, and toxic materials. Financial accounts for the year, with a report on the accounts Atomic Energy Advisory Committee by the Auditor-General as required by the Act, are appended to the report. A statement of the Commission's capital assets as at 30 June A. W. B. Coady, C.M.G., B.A., B.Ec. 1970 is also appended to the accounts. W. H. Connolly, C.B.E., B.E.E., B.Com., M.l.E.Aust. J. G. Phillips, C.B.E., B.Ec. Sir Lionel Hooke, S.M.I.R.Amer., F.I.R.E.Aust. Yours faithfully, Professor M. C. Kemp, B.Com., M.A., Ph.D. J. D. Norgard, B.E., F.S.A.S.M.(Met.), A.S.A.SJV1. J. P. BAXTER, Chairman. Professor J. W. Roderick, M.A,(Camb.), M.Sc., Ph.D.(Bristol), F.A.A., R. G. WARD, Deputy Chairman. M.I.StructE., M.I.C.E., A.F.R.Ae.S., M.I.E.Aust., M.A.S.C.E. K. F. ALDER, Member. R. A. Simpson, B.E., F.S.A.S.M., M.I.E.Aust. Professor R. Street, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.(Lond.) L. F. BOTT, Member. - L. W. Weickhardt, M.Sc., F.R.A.C.I., F.A.I.M. M. C. TIMES, Executive Member. Function: To advise the Commission on scientific, industrial and economic matters 45 Beach Street, Coogee, N.S.W. 2034 relating to atomic energy research and development. S September 1970. Contents Contents 1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 9 8 RADIOISOTOFES 84 Nuclear Power 9 Production and Services 84 Raw Materials 10 Supply and Distribution Statistics 84 Research 10 Product Development 87 Radioisotope Production 11 Gamma-Ray and Electron Beam Irradiation Services 89 International 12 General 12 9 OPERATIONS AND SERVICES 90 Operations 90 13 Waste Disposal 92 2 JERVIS BAY POWER STATION Critical Facility 93 Services 93 3 NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS 19 World Power Developments 19 10 INTERNATIONAL MATTERS 94 National Programs 19 International Atomic Energy Agency 94 Uranium Enrichment 20 Co-operation with India 97 Heavy Water 22 Co-operation with New Zealand 97 Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Explosions 23 Overseas Visits 97 Table of World Nuclear Power Stations 24 Distinguished Visitors 98 4 RUM JUNGLE ENTERPRISE 27 11 GENERAL 99 Ministerial Administration of Atomic Energy Act 99 Membership of Commission 99 5 RAW MATERIALS - 34 Overseas Liaison 99 Exploration for Uranium 34 Senior Staff Changes 99 Production of Uranium 48 Terms and Conditions of Employment 100 Overseas Developments 48 Staff Numbers 100 World Uranium Resources Survey 52 Acknowledgments 100 Health and Safety in Mining and Milling of Radioactive Ores 52 Atomic Energy Advisory Committee 101 Safety Review Committee 101 Information Services 101 6 RESEARCH RELATED TO NUCLEAR POWER 53 Extramural Research 103 Reactors 53 Overseas Attachments 103 Water Cooled Reactor Systems (Diagrams) 55 Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering 105 Critical Aspects of Performance 59 Australian School of Nuclear Technology 108 Reactor Fuel Studies 69 Finance 109 Reactor Materials 71 APPENDICES A — Financial Accounts 112 7 RADIATION AND RADIOISOTOPE RESEARCH AND OTHER B — Auditor-General's Report 114 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 74 C — Senior Staff of Commission 115 Research Involving Ionising Radiation " 74 D — AAEC Research Projects 118 Radioisotope Applications Research 80 E — AAEC Research Contracts 120 Analytical Chemistry 82 F — AINSE Research and Training Projects 121 Computing Research 83 G — Technical Papers by Commission Staff 124 6 7 1 NTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY NUCLEAR POWER As a result of the Cummonwealth-State discussions held early in 1969 (described in the last Annual Report), a study was inaugurated of the feasibility of establishing a 500 megawatt nuclear power station at Jervis Bay, on the New South Wales coast. The study was carried out by the Commission, in collaboration with the Electricity Commission of New South Wales. The Jervis Bay site, located in Commonwealth Territory, was found to be satisfactory from all points of view. Geological surveys established the presence of suitable foundation rock, and the study of winds and water movements showed that cooling water from the station could be discharged into the sea in such a w?y as to ensure rapid dispersion. Discussions between the Commonwealth and New South Wales have resulted in broad agreement on the guiding principles to be applied in the financing, con- struction and operation of the station. The Commonwealth will pay for the construction and own the station, and the electricity will be taken into the New South Wales State network. New South Wales will guarantee the electricity requirements of the Australian Capital Territory. Tender documents were issued on 28 February 1970 to nuclear engineering firms which had expressed interest. Tenders were invited, in the first instance, for the nuclear steam supply system, which might be based on any one of the commercially available reactor systems. The documents stipulated that the reactor system should be capable of using fuel based on indigenous Australian uranium supplies. Tenders were returnable on 15 June 1970 and 14 were received from seven organisations in Great Britain, Germany, the U.S.A. and Canada, embracing five reactor types. Thereupon the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, together with the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and the engineering con- sultant firm of Bechtel (Pacific) Corporation Ltd., began the assessment of the proposals on the basis that a contract could be awarded before the end of 1970, with full-power operation of the station by 31 December 1975. A Commonwealth Consultative Committee on Nuclear Energy, representative of the Commonwealth and States, held it first meeting in June, 1970. The Com- mittee will consider the many complex regulatory and administrative aspects of nuclear power stations and, from it, State instrumentalities will gain insight into problems of design, contracts, operation and licensing of nuclear plants. The world-wide trend towards nuclear power continued during the year, investigations of coolant circulation, heat removal and coolant chemistry and 19 new nuclear stations being ordered (15 in 1968), with a total capacity of about corrosion control; and studies of reactor materials, particularly in relation to cor- 18,000 megawatts (about 11,000 megawatts in 1968-69). At 13 June 1970, there rosion and mechanical behaviour and the effects of irradiation. The knowledge was a total of 67 stations already in operation with a capacity of 15,656 megawatts, and experience of the research staff gained from these studies were used to and a further 130 stations under construction or committed, with a total capacity considerable advantage during the drafting of the tender specification for the Jervis of 113,755 megawatts. Bay power reactor. The involvement of research staff in the Jervis Bay power Some thought will need to be given to supplies of enriched fuel in the future, project will continue during the assessment of tenders and at all stages of'detailed in the light of United States policy and the success of the joint British-Netherlands- design, construction and commissioning. West German partnership established to exploit the gas centrifuge process of Good progress has been made in developing methods of manufacturing reactor uranium enrichment, and other enrichment work which is proceeding. fuel. A pi nt for making uranium dioxide pellets of high purity and precise dimensions is working successfully on a scale which could be satisfactorily scaled up to production plant size when required.