One of the key activities at the Institute of Nuclear Physics has been the development and application of nuclear-physical methods for analysis of environmental objects, such as mineral rocks and raw materials. The institute has already set up a laboratory for the analysis of samples (including soil, grass, water) containing low levels of radioactivity for geological and ecological organisations in Kazakhstan. This is a clean facility that uses state-of-the-art equipment (including ICPOEMS mass spectrometry, alpha-spectrometry, liquid scintillation counting) to detect low levels of radioactive elements arising from contamination following weapons tests. The laboratory operates using a comprehensive Quality Assurance system that is a key requirement of ib customers.

Using their reactor, INP also provide analyses using neutron-activation analysis (NAA) This method is successfully applied in scientific and ecological research projects for a number of international projects, and in analysis of elemental structure of geological and industrial specimens in cooperation with companies in Kazakhstan. The quality of the analyses executed has been confirmed by successful participation in many international inter-laboratory inter-comparisons and proficiency tests organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

However‚ the approach in use at the present is oriented, as a rule‚ to measurement of individual samples and is not set up for the routine measurement of large numbers of samples. The increasing demand of industrial companies in Kazakhstan for using the newest analytical methods provides a reason for the establishment of a specialised analytical line to routinely provide highly sensitive, precise and high-performance (up to 10 thousand per year) analysis using neutron-activation and X-ray-fluorescent methods.

The establishment of a production line to exploit this market will involve:

• refurbishment of the existing laboratory facilities;
• purchase of modern equipment to enable a high throughput (eg Ge detector and multi channel analyzer);
• development of the analytical methods specifically needed to carry out the analyses required for these customer segments;
• staff training for the NAA-Line.

During Project implementation 14 employees of the INP will be involved in the project ; 60% of them are former weapon specialists. Following this, at the stage of the NAA-Line commercial work 8 INP employees will be permanently employed job as production NAA-Line workers. Additionally commercial operations will support the work of other INP staff, eg. reactor operators.

The project has been successfully completed. All the jobs were created (9 jobs were created / of which 8 are for the ex-weapon staff, 9/8 jobs were planned initially).