Uranium road

Providing rare insights into the history of South Africa's secretive nuclear industry, this book explains how South Africa turned to the development of a nuclear program and weapons of mass destruction as a result of its abundance of uranium--a byproduct of its gold mines. South Africa's current plans to revitalize its nuclear industry are judged against the background of an international nuclear industry that has not been able to solve basic problems of excessive cost, the threat to human health and safety, and long-term environmental contamination. An illustrated explanation of basic nuclear concepts and the nuclear fuel chain makes the history and arguments easy to follow.

Uranium road provides rare insights into the history of South Africa's secretive nuclear industry. It explains how South Africa's uranium, a waste product of its gold mines, gave it entry into the exclusive international nuclear club.Uranium road provides rare insights into the history of South Africa's secretive nuclear industry. It explains how South Africa's uranium, a waste product of its gold mines, gave it entry into the exclusive international nuclear club. How the apartheid government turned to weapons of mass destruction when it started losing its grip on the country and the sub-continent in the seventies and eighties. And how current plans for the revival of the industry are nothing more than an expensive experiment with taxpayers' money. The title argues that these plans should be judged against the background of a dying nuclear industry worldwide, which has not been able to solve its basic problems - excessive cost, threats to human health and safety and long-term environmental contamination. An illustrated explanation of basic nuclear concepts and the nuclear fuel chain makes the history and arguments easy to follow.