Zirconium Production Plant
The Zirconium Production Plant (ZPP) was established at Esfahan ostensibly for the production of cladding and grid spacer materials for nuclear reactors as part of Iran's drive for complete fuel cycle independance. The main products as of July 2008 were nuclear grade Zirconium sponge (50 tones per year), nuclear grade Zirconium alloys tube (10 tones per year), and nuclear grade Zirconium alloys strip and bar (2 tones per year). Magnesium (100 tones per year) and Hafnium Oxide (5 tones per year) were produced at the ZPP as byproducts of the Zirconium production process.
The production facilities at the ZPP were also to be used for the production of pure Magnesium, Zirconium alloys, Titanium and its alloys, the casting of Ferrous and non-Ferrous metals, and the forming of Stainless Steel, Ferrous and non-Ferrous metals. 63 percent pure Zircon was said to be the plant's primary raw resource product.
To this end a variety of facilities were constructed within the ZPP including: a forging and machining workshop, and facilities for carburization, Magnesium electrolysis, extrusion, primary chlorination, cold rolling, Magnesium distillation, ingot casting and sponge crushing.
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