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According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californium#Production https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californium#Production "Only two sites produce californium-252:

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californium#Production https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californium#Production "Only two sites produce californium-252: the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States, and the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors in Dimitrovgrad, Russia. As of 2003, the two sites produce 0.25 grams and 0.025 grams of californium-252 per year, respectively." So it seems that the Turks have seized about 66 years of production.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
sandworm101 7y ago
>> Turks have seized about 66 years of production. Or we have lost some information in the reporting. Possibly this is 18 grams of something that has tested positive for californium. That is different than 18 grams of pure californium. I'm not sure what testing they did, but i doubt they verified every atom. There is likely a large amount of, for lack of the correct word, filler. When dealing with very precious substances it is not unusual to combine them with other easily removed and inert material to facilitate handling. When dealing with nuclear material, this reduction in the density of the radioactive stuff is a significant safety advantage. This could be 1% or less californium and 99+% filler ... still a significant find but not evidence of a clandestine production line.
mrtksn 7y ago
Probably because it's fake news. This format pops up every once in a while, "The police seized x amount of y nuclear material worth z million dollars". It's usually Californium or phosphorus... This is from the last year and even has photos: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ankarada-nukleer-madde-operasyonu-kaliforniyum-maddesi-ele-gecirildi-40777178 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ankarada-nukleer-madde-ope... Does this look like a Californium to you?
- novaleaf 7y ago
  seems like this article should be flagged....
  - reallydude 7y ago
    since it's clearly a fabrication to serve some sort of fear-monger campaign.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

sandworm101 7y ago

>> Turks have seized about 66 years of production. Or we have lost some information in the reporting. Possibly this is 18 grams of something that has tested positive for californium. That is different than 18 grams of pure californium. I'm not sure what testing they did, but i doubt they verified every atom. There is likely a large amount of, for lack of the correct word, filler. When dealing with very precious substances it is not unusual to combine them with other easily removed and inert material to facilitate handling. When dealing with nuclear material, this reduction in the density of the radioactive stuff is a significant safety advantage. This could be 1% or less californium and 99+% filler ... still a significant find but not evidence of a clandestine production line.

mrtksn 7y ago

Probably because it's fake news. This format pops up every once in a while, "The police seized x amount of y nuclear material worth z million dollars". It's usually Californium or phosphorus... This is from the last year and even has photos: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ankarada-nukleer-madde-operasyonu-kaliforniyum-maddesi-ele-gecirildi-40777178 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/ankarada-nukleer-madde-ope... Does this look like a Californium to you?

novaleaf 7y ago
seems like this article should be flagged....
- reallydude 7y ago
  since it's clearly a fabrication to serve some sort of fear-monger campaign.