N. Korea excavating tunnel for far more powerful nuclear test: 38 North

Arirang ^ | 2017-03-12

[cpdiii]

withing = within (I have stupid fingers)

[b4its2late]

Good point.

[b4its2late]

Also, remember Bush’s Axis of Evil? I think he took on the wrong one first.

[AdmSmith]

Interesting that NK is separating Li-6 and Li-7.

According to World Nuclear Association (updated FEB2017):

Lithium has two stable isotopes Li-6 and Li-7, the latter being 92.5% in nature (hence relative atomic mass of natural lithium of 6.94).

Lithium-7 has two important uses in nuclear power today and tomorrow due to its relative transparency to neutrons. As hydroxide it is necessary in small quantities for safe operation in pressurised water reactor (PWR) cooling systems as a pH stabilizer, to reduce corrosion in the primary circuit. As a fluoride, it is also expected to come into much greater demand for molten salt reactors (MSRs). However, for both purposes it must be very pure Li-7, otherwise tritium is formed by neutron capture

Production of lithium-7 had ceased in the USA in 1963, partly because of environmental and OHS concerns with mercury which was used in its enrichment.

Today the only sources of Li-7 (enriched from natural lithium) are Russia and China, though the latter is reported to be buying from Russia now. Production of lithium-7 at least in Russia and possibly China is as a by-product of enriching lithium-6 to produce tritium for thermonuclear weapons.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/lithium.aspx

In addition there is a Japanese method http://jolisfukyu.tokai-sc.jaea.go.jp/fukyu/mirai-en/2012/4_10.html

It is really important if NK is selling Li-7, this is a strong indication that 1) they are separating Li-6/Li-7 and b) that they are interested in Li-6 for their own use, i.e. to produce tritium.

Probably best to take them out before they cause big damage.

[Nuc 1.1]

Thanks Democrats.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Little Kim must have enjoyed playing with fire crackers when he was a child. Oooops, he still is.

[RayChuang88]

If North Korea does successfully test a nuclear device in the 200-250 KT range, that means their medium-range missiles—the ones that can reach all of the Japanese home islands—could completely destroy bases in Japan like Misawa, Yokosuka, Yokota, Atsugi, Iwakuni and Sasebo even if the miss is around 1 km (0.62 miles). Pretty scary, to say the least.

[Robe]

I’ve been told that Japan is a screwdriver away from a Nuclear Arsenal

[Vaduz]

Bill Clinton success story.

[themidnightskulker]

Not if we nuke it first /s

[SandRat]

and the arrival of a P.O'd., GODZILA.

[AdmSmith]

Yes, very scary, anything can happen.

Meanwhile, they are evacuating http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/mar/12/malaysia-deputy-pm-says-only-315-north-koreans-left-in-the-country-1580710.html

[AdmSmith]

I checked the newspapers again and they claim that NK was trying to sell Li-6 last year, and not Li-7 that I wrote. That is very odd, as it is costly to get enriched Li-6, and if NK was working to obtain it it is difficult to understand why they would sell it. If they wanted Li-6 it is most likely for their nuclear program, and not to be sold. If the sold it it is possible to investigate the level of enrichment of Li-6 and that is most likely secret information.

The conclusion must be that if NK really sold Li-6 the purpose is to bluff about their nuclear program. If the Li-6 is highly enriched to show that they can produce it and are able to use it for a thermonuclear devices or bluff that they have such a program, or if the enrichment is low to bluff that they are unable to produce highly enriched Li-6.

Time will tell

[TigerLikesRooster]

I wonder what happened to the online sales attempt. It could be also a con. N. Koreans could have tried to pass low grade Li-6 off as weapon’s grade material.

[AdmSmith]

It might as well have been ordinary crooks trying to sell it without having it, officials from other countries trying to investigate any possible buyer

[AdmSmith]

Here is a summary of the UN report:http://thebulletin.org/hardly-hermit-kingdom-new-report-reveals-north-korea%E2%80%99s-global-reach10616

and the full report 326 pages: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2017/150

a lot of useful info.

This is about the sale of Li-6:

Li-6 is advertised for sale by a company of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, General Precious Metal, which the European Union has identified as an alias of Green Pine Associated Corporation (Green Pine). Mr. Chol Yun was listed as the contact person of General Precious Metal for sale of the mineral and has an address and phone numbers in Beijing (see annex 4-5). The same name appeared as third secretary of the embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Beijing on an official diplomatic list dated 24 September 2012 (see annex 4-6). The Panel notes a pattern whereby the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has accredited Green Pine overseas representatives as diplomats. The Panel continues to investigate this diplomat’s involvement in prohibited activities and his possible connection with another prohibited activity (see para. 91).

This is very odd.

[AdmSmith]

Continues here

U.S. think tank: N. Korea operating lithium-6 plant for hydrogen bombs
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3538089/posts