Azerbaijan to continue exploration of raw nuclear resources from environment

Azerbaijan plans to set up exploration for natural nuclear materials in its territory in 2017. The National Nuclear Research Center (NNRC) aims to continue exploration in the area of Shamakhi region and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

The Center told Trend that results of the expedition is encouraged and work in this direction will be expanded.

With this respect, it is planned to construct a research reactor, and the ongoing preparatory work covers approval of necessary documents, development of feasibility study on type of reactor and the way it will be used.

"The NNRC experts have studied a principle of research reactors in Russia and Slovenia," the Center said. "In 2016, eight young specialists were trained abroad, and this practice will continue this year. All our major projects are known to be capital-intensive, and their realization depends on funding. Therefore, to say that the launch of a research reactor in the country will be implemented in the short term is not possible. All our efforts in the subsequent years will be focused both on improving human resource capacity, and the exploration of natural resources of nuclear materials in the country."

The scope of nuclear technology is quite specific, and all the work in this area are carried out directly with the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as there are certain norms, standards and requirements.

NNRC, established under the Communications and High Technologies Ministry in 2014 uses nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The Center carries out a wide range of work in the country in the areas of nuclear science, development of nuclear and radiation technologies for peaceful purposes, including research nuclear reactor, the improvement of logistics base, increases the capacity of highly qualified personnel, studies the experience of the developed countries, and cooperates with them.

Recently the Center reported it will submit its final report by late January to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be issued licenses for the purchase and maintenance of isotopes needed to run the sterilization installation.

The company said three licenses are required for the use of isotopes. The first one, for their purchase and maintenance, has already been granted. NNRC plans to obtain the two other licenses, for import and transportation, until the end of January.

Sterilization by way of gamma radiation destroys microbes, which in turn will increase the shelf life of agricultural products.

Last year NNRC and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Geneva. Under the MoU, the National Center and CERN will cooperate within A Large Ion Collider Experiment – ALICE.