Cordoba Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Plant
The Córdoba mill complex, which has a capacity of 150 t HM/a, is used for purifying yellow cake and for converting it to UO2 . This plant is expected to be moved in the near future for environmental reasons. The use of REPU is under development as raw material for slightly enriched uranium (SEU) fuel. This plant is operated by DIOXITEK SA.
In the South part of the Country, 2000 km from Buenos Aires, is located the Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Plant, that uses as raw material U02 natural powder. For this reason it is entailed to CONUAR. Dioxitek S.A. produces the uranium dioxide that fuels the nuclear power stations of Argentina. DIOXITEK S.A., with a participation shareholder of the CNEA of 99% and 1% rest of NUCLEAR MENDOZA, provides uranium dioxide (UO2) natural for the manufacture of propellant componens for the Nuclear power station Dam, and the natural mixture of UO2 with uranium slightly enriched (ULE) for the one of fuels for the Nuclear power station Atucha I.
The Dioxitek plant in Cordoba was opened in the 1950s as part of the CNEA nuclear activities expansion plan. Through its operation time, many nuclear incidents have been registered with uranium and chemical products emission which have generated a strong opposition in Cordoba city. In the place where the plant is built there are about 30,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste buried. During 1998 several negotiations have taken place between Cordoba city authorities and the CNEA in order to close the factory. Finally the CNEA agreed in ceasing production in August 1999.
The small town of Despeqaderos is under pressure from the possible construction of a new uranium dioxide (UO2) factory, by the Dioxitek enterprise. This plant has to be moved from Cordoba city and is looking for another location.
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