Joint Sample Analysis on Uranium Ore Concentrates and its Application on the Implementation of a National Nuclear Forensic Library in Kazakhstan

Through various workshops and guidance documents, the international nuclear forensics community has been promoting the development and implementation of National Nuclear Forensics Libraries (NNFL) in support of investigations relating to nuclear and other radioactive materials found out of regulatory control. An NNFL is a national system of expertise and information that may be utilized to identify nuclear or radioactive material found out of regulatory control. The Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NNSA/NSDD/NA-213) has been supporting the international community through the development and delivery of NNFL workshops that focus on the technical and practical aspects of developing and implementing an NNFL. Under the auspices of the 2006 Joint Communiqué on counter trafficking of nuclear and radioactive material, NSDD is cooperating with the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) on strengthening Kazakhstan's nuclear forensics capabilities. As part of the ongoing nuclear forensics collaboration between NSDD and the Republic of Kazakhstan, several government organizations, including INP and associated stakeholders expressed interest in establishing an NNFL. In this context, NNSA/NSDD supported the recent NNFL Workshop at the Kazakhstan Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) in September of 2018. The event was very successful with representatives from all stakeholder organizations (i.e. the National Security Committee, the Committee for Atomic and Energy Control and Oversight, the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kazatomprom, and Institute of Atomic Energy) actively participating in the workshop, and the Kazakhstan government expressing its full support in partnering with NSDD on nuclear forensics capacity building activities, including the design and implementation of an NNFL.