Japanese Teen Who Traded Uranium Online Was A ‘Chemistry Geek’

A 16 year old Japanese boy is being investigated after it was discovered that he was trading uranium online. Not only that, he was also able to process the uranium into yellowcake. However, an analyst says that the boy who did these things was just a “chemistry geek.”

One security analyst suggests that the boy isn’t likely to have nefarious designs and that he just may be a chemistry geek who was fascinated by the challenge of processing uranium into yellowcake. A significant amount of uranium ore is required before even a tiny amount of fissile material can be obtained. The radioactivity in yellowcake uranium itself is quite low.

A new agency reported last week that the high school student was referred to prosecutors initially on charges of violating the gunpowder control law as he created 2.4 grams of explosive penthrite at his home. He first came to the attention of authorities due to a November 2017 advertisement on a Yahoo online auction website for “Uranium 99.9 per cent.”

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority then notified the police about this advert. The boy was questioned on a voluntary basis before his arrest. What the investigators haven’t revealed at this point in time is whether the uranium ore was bought within Japan or sourced from abroad.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: General