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Canada’s Delayed Entry Into International Isotope Market

Written by
Jim Ungrin
for
the North Renfrew Times
2022 Jun 08

Over the years Canada became a major international supplier of radioactive isotopes. This was particularly true for medical isotopes such as molybdenum 99 and cobalt 60. During the years immediately following the start up of NRX international politics played a major role in the roll out of the production of isotopes and there were delays in Canada’s being able to take advantage of the world-leading high neutron flux that NRX provided.

Les Cook, in his unpublished manuscript “Birthpangs of CANDU“ provides us with the following history. (Les Cook was the Director of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Division of CRNL from 1945 to 1956.)

“It was clear that the US would not long tolerate a situation where Canada had available for experimental work a neutron flux that was 10 times higher than anything available in that country. But it was also clear that it would be several years, probably four or five, before they would catch up and perhaps surpass us. We had three or four years to become established as the top purveyor of highest quality products.

Accordingly, we proposed the construction of a new chemistry building specifically designed from the ground up for the production of radioactive isotopes for sale. The building was approved. Bill Stevens took charge of the design and planning. Several assistants were brought in.
In anticipation, several aluminum tubes full of potassium nitrate were put in position around NRX to be irradiated for a year or so to form carbon 14.
Everything went very successfully.

There came a day when we were ready to go. Radioactive iodine, phosphorus and carbon 14 were available and anything else could be provided immediately. Everyone knew his job and was confident. I suggested to Tom Church, my able assistant, that he plan a marketing campaign to inform scientists throughout the world that we were in operation and ready to supply, and informed our Vice President, Ben Lewis, that we were going public as planned a year before.
Within a few days, Dean McKenzie turned up alone in my office – most unusual – and asked for a tour of the new facility. After the tour, with everyone clearly enthusiastic, he turned to me suddenly and without warning said, “You can’t do this.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “Why?”

“Because the Americans are not yet allowing radioactive isotopes for research purposes to be exported, and until they allow it, we can’t do it.”
I was thunderstruck. Our whole strategy had been built on creating a new export market based on the superior neutron flux of NRX, and becoming established before the US or any other country could catch up. It seemed clear to me that the US would not like to be scooped; of course, it would render their Oak Ridge radioactive isotope manufacturing and marketing operation obsolete for years. But t had never occurred to me, nor I suppose to Lewis, that such politics would be allowed to stop our operation.

“Why did you accept our plans and authorize a building, if this was to be the situation?’ I shot at McKenzie. “We have put a lot of effort into this, and the staff involved will have a terrible let-down.”

“You can supply researchers in Canada” said McKenzie, and turned on his heel and walked away.”