Industrial Applications and Chemisty Section

Project Code/Title I.2.01: Radiotracer technology for industrial processes and natural resources exploration

 Rationale : Radioisotope based technologies play an important role in troubleshooting, analysing and optimizing industrial processes. Interest in Member States for applying radioisotope technology for natural resource exploration and exploitation through TC projects is continuing, in particular in East Asia, Latin America and Africa. End-user awareness of the benefit of radioisotope technology is growing and working partnerships between nuclear centres and industry have been established in many Member States. However, there are still developing countries in Africa and Latin America where radioisotope applications in industry are at early stage. Evaluation of natural resources, the petrochemical and chemical industries, mining, metallurgy, cement and mineral processing and wastewater treatment are the main targets where radioisotope technology has been shown to be competitive and beneficial. New radioisotope methods are in development for online inspection, visualization and modelling analysis. Data acquisition and processing techniques are improving. There is a need to upgrade the capability of radioisotope groups in developing countries, to promote routine services of mature techniques and to transfer novel developments and emerging new applications.

The Agency is required to play an important role in coordinating the knowledge generation in this field, to guarantee the continuity of the technology and to transfer it to developing countries.

 Objective : To strengthen the national capabilities of developing Member States to efficiently use radioisotope methodologies for controlling and developing cleaner and safer industries and for exploration of natural resources.