Quote:
Originally Posted by finnbow
And many more countries, including France (the most successful and efficient of the nations who reprocess fuel). It's all about non-proliferation. Reprocessing fuel or using breeder reactors results in material more suitable for bomb-making (i.e., plutonium) than the the 3-5% enriched U235 used for nuclear fuel. We're afraid of diversion of those materials (or at least that's the argument that resulted in current US policy on the matter).
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But countries that have nuclear ambitions do this anyway, such as India which went on to build nuclear bombs. An original 'research reactor' CIR was built with the help of both Canada and the US. Later on the FRP (fuel reprocessing plant) was built I assume totally by indigenous means.
Pakistan and now Iran's nuclear development, which seems to be totally focused for weapons (with Pakistan's covert help), is something I had not followed. Surprising since Iran is all Shia and Pak is all Sunni.