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The plutonium from a reactor is useless for a bomb, unless you seperate it in a large and complicated PUREX reprocessing plant (and run the reactor on an uneconomic cycle).  It's the PUREX plant that produces the raw material for weapons.  Read about the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR, Google will find enough references) to understand, how a breeder itself is no proliferation risk.  If anything, PUREX is.
by ustenzel on Sat Aug 19th, 2006 at 06:18:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]
That [proliferation] is a political problem. Apparently we should be getting ready to go to war with Iran because they're enriching uranium.

So I don't disagree on that, I am saying that the reason breeder reactors are not more widely used is that <gasp> they can be used to proliferate.

Nothing is 'mere'. — Richard P. Feynman

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 19th, 2006 at 06:39:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Only in the US where big oil and coal companies rule (and in Germany, where weed smoker rule, too) and use any excuse to keep nuclear power small.

The real reason breeders aren't widespread is cheap uranium.

by ustenzel on Sat Aug 19th, 2006 at 04:11:37 PM EST
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