[KarlInOhio]

It may have been mostly 235, but it was highly diluted in aluminum. This was done to avoid criticality issues. Any danger is in the mind of a “journalist”.

But separating U235 from the aluminum is far, far easier than separating it from U238.

If they just had some more, the original battle between Kodak and Fuji could have turned out far differently. And no one would have dared cross Kodak after that.

[Abathar]

lol, “Damn Yankees and their uranium!”

[chrisser]

"If they just had some more, the original battle between Kodak and Fuji could have turned out far differently. And no one would have dared cross Kodak after that"

Thanks for that. I needed a good chuckle this morning.

[Pontiac]

But separating U235 from the aluminum is far, far easier than separating it from U238.

you are correct but separating the Uranium from the Aluminum is the easy part.

The hard part is stealing the devise without dying from radiation poisoning.

Although this devise is not technically a reactor it is still performing its function by the process of nuclear fission. The Californium produces neutrons that strikes the U235 that fissions and produces more neutrons. By fission the U235 produces highly radioactive daughter products.

What the article does not mention about the expert technicians dismantling of the devise is that it would be necessary to use special tools that would permit the technicians to remain at a distance from the devise to avoid lethal doses of radiation.

If terrorist could steal this devise without killing themselves they would then need special factories to then not only separate the U235 from the Aluminum they would also have to separate the U235 from all of the highly radioactive daughter isotopes and do it safely so as not to kill themselves in the process.

None of this is easy and requires a very special set of skills that your average terrorist does not pick up at the suicide bomb school.