Previously Disclosed 2.5 Tons Uranium Now Missing Is Found In Libya

Supposedly, a cache of the stolen uranium ore has been discovered in eastern Libya. According to the BBC, a military press office reported finding ten drums close to the Chad border. According to the Washington Post, the International Atomic Energy Agency stated it was trying to confirm the Libyan National Army account that the drums were discovered several miles from where they had been housed.


The UN inspector on nuclear matters said that 2.1 metric tons of ore had mysteriously gone from a facility in Libya, albeit it did not say when exactly this had occurred. In a visit on Tuesday, inspectors found the 10 drums "were not present as previously declared at a site" outside of government-controlled territory, as reported by CNN and the BBC.

According to Nuclear Threat Initiative's Scott Roecker, the uranium made up around 10% of the total material kept in the "extremely isolated location" in southern Libya. He explains to the BBC that the yellow cake uranium "cannot be converted into a nuclear weapon" right now.

Also, "very low radiation worries," as Roecker puts it. As reported by the BBC and Reuters, a site inspection scheduled for last year was postponed because to security concerns brought on by militia fighting in the area.