The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and global healthcare company Curium have reached a milestone in their effort to manufacture molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) in the U.S.
According to a report in the Los Alamos Daily Post, Curium has completed the conversion of its Mo-99 production process from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU). Curium and the NNSA have been collaborating on the project since 2014.
Curium becomes the third Mo-99 manufacturer to use to LEU as its sole Mo-99 manufacturing source. NTP Radioisotopes in South Africa and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) are the other two LEU Mo-99 producers.
