Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

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Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

Agency overview
Formed	1987 (1987)
Preceding agency	Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Jurisdiction	Australian Government
Headquarters	Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia 34°02′56″S 150°58′30″E / 34.049°S 150.975°E / -34.049; 150.975
Motto	Science. Ingenuity. Sustainability.
Employees	1,000+
Minister responsible	Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science
Agency executives	The Hon Dr Annabelle Bennett, Chair of ANSTO Shaun Jenkinson, Chief Executive Officer
Parent department	Department of Industry, Science and Resources
Key document	Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 (Cth)
Website	ansto.gov.au

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is a statutory body of the Australian Government that is responsible for nuclear research and the production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine. It was established in April 1987 to replace the former Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC), which was founded in 1952.

Its headquarters and main research facilities are on the southern outskirts of Sydney in Lucas Heights, Sutherland Shire.

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987 (Cth) prescribes its general purpose.

• To support the development and implementation of government policies and initiatives in nuclear and related areas, domestically and internationally
• To operate nuclear science and technology based facilities, for the benefit of industry and the Australian and international research community
• To undertake research that will advance the application of nuclear science and technology
• To apply nuclear science, techniques, and expertise to address Australia 's environmental challenges and increase the competitiveness of Australian industry
• To manufacture and advance the use of radiopharmaceuticals which will improve the health of Australians

ANSTO is governed by The Hon Dr Annabelle Bennett.^[1] Penelope Dobson is the deputy chair. The CEO, Shaun Jenkinson, manages the organisation.^[2]

ANSTO operates five research facilities:

1. OPAL research reactor
2. Centre for Accelerator Science
3. Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering
4. Cyclotron facility
5. Australian Synchrotron

Major research instruments include:

• The ANTARES particle accelerator^{[citation needed]}
• High-resolution neutron powder diffractometer, ECHIDNA^[3]
• High-intensity neutron powder diffractometer, WOMBAT^[4]
• Strain scanner, KOWARI^[5]
• Neutron reflectometer, PLATYPUS^[6]

ANSTO also manufactures radiopharmaceuticals and performs commercial work such as silicon doping by nuclear transmutation.

ANSTO has two nuclear research reactors onsite: The High Flux Australian Reactor, or HIFAR, in operation from 1958 to 2007, and the Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor (OPAL) designed by the Argentine company INVAP. HIFAR was permanently shut down on 30 January 2007. The OPAL reactor came online in November 2006 and the facility was officially opened on 20 April 2007.

A third, smaller unit, being a 100 kW thermal Argonaut-class reactor named MOATA, was in operation between 1961 and 1995, before being decommissioned in 2009. The reactor was initially commissioned to train Australian nuclear scientists in the operation of HIFAR, but its envelope was later widened to include neutron imaging and activation analysis, soil analysis, and radioisotopic medical research.

Spent fuel from the reactors is transported to Port Kembla, then shipped to France for reprocessing.^[7]

In 2017, ANSTO announced the creation of a NiMo-SiC alloy for use in molten salt reactors.^[8]

• Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
• Australian Federal Police
• Defence Science and Technology Organisation
• Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office

• Official website
• ANSTO reiterates nuclear waste dump safety
• Chronology – Australia's nuclear political history