FOR PRESS

ND/34 550

Statement by the minister for National Development,

The Honourable David Fairbairn, D.F.C., M.P.

'  SALE OF COBALT 60 TO THE,UNITED KINGDOM

The largest radioactive cobalt 60 source yet produced by the

Australian Atomic Energy Commission has been purchased by the

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority’s Radiochemical Centre

at Amersham. .

This was announced today by the Minister for National DevelopÂ­ ment , Mr David Fairbairn, who said that it was

the first sale of Australian radioactive cobalt to any European

country, and the first bulk sale of this material by the Commission.

The source consists of 33 discs of encapsulated cobalt 60, each

approximately the size of a five cent piece. It has a total

value of approximately $35>000. The cobalt is being shipped

to the United Kingdom by the's.s. Helenus, in a special container

weighing 4ir tons.

The source was produced in the Australian Atomic Energy CommisÂ­

sion's nuclear reactor HIFAR at Lucas Heights,  near Sydney.

HIFAR is one of the few reactors in the world capable of proÂ­

ducing intensely radioactive cobalt 60. The discs were irÂ­

radiated for a period of almost four years in the reactor.

The Radiochemical Centre at Amersham is one of the world's

largest producers and distributors of radioisotopes and radioÂ­

active products.

CANBERRA

2nd August, 1967 - IMM.

