-S-iCBE 3 APPENDIX 11 011 UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION WASHINGTON 25 D C December 7 1959 TO A A Wells Director Division of International Affairs FRCM c L Marshall Director Division of Classification SUBJECT COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF OAS CENTRIFUGE SYMBOL C CLM hS 7uu know a topic of the new AEC Polioy Guide provides that expe' ' mental work on the detailed mechanical design for the centrifuge method of isotope separation may be considered declassifiable to date There is however a restrictive paragraph attached to the topic which requires that we classify that work when it beu01 1es appar ent that it could reasonably be used for the productio r large q an ities of U-235 One of the factors that influenced the determination to classify t his program in tM s way woa the fact that at least two other countries West Gerroruly and The Netherlands are vigorously pursuing studies in this field and that they have moreover advanced t eir technology t he point where 1t is equal to or better th r ou t•s In considering the proper classifications to be assigned to this progrE J 1 not only now but in the foreseeable future a number of facts inevit12 bly made themselves felt Important among them is the fact that the Germans have now already so far progressed in their development of the g s centrifuge method that they could without any further ao vancement in their technology build a working plant for the mass production of U-235 The attached table which r epresents steps in the development of their program indicates very clearly that in a period of' approximately 14 years they have been able to increase the separative potential or their machines by better than an order of magnitude while at the same time reducing their costs also by more than an order or magnitude Another of the important aspects of' this method of separating isotopes sits very low power consumption as compared with the gaseous dHfusion method One m1ght say that for an approximately equal total outlay in dollars that is power plus plant one could build equally productive plants However to a nation short on power the low power consumption for the gas centrifuge method could make possible a productive plant at a time when a gaseous diffusion plant would still r emain a desirable but impossible goal - 52 - Appendix 11 0 11 DOE ARCHIVES -S--i C B i C We all I know realize that a large-soale plant ror the separation or heavy isotope s is an important part or a weapons program Therefore a method or separating isotopes which would make such a program possible tor an unfriendly nation is clearly one which should be classified The presence of China among the nations in1m1cal to the United States gives that view both point and substance This reawakening nation or several hundreds of millions of people is already s1gn1fioantly increasing its industrial potential with the help of the Soviet Union It should be expected that as soon as possible China Will attempt to embark upon a weapons program that signit'icantly may be without Soviet help When one considers that the Chinese built an advanced civilization many years before our so-called Western oivilization existed the probability or their succeeding in auoh a venture must not be under-estimated China is however still power-poor and probably will be ror w'sane time to cane The gaseous diffusion process for separating 'heavy isotopes is not therefore within their grasp for many years to ooma The gas centrifuge method however with its low power consumption is not nearly that far in the future if one remembers as I pointed out earlier that present technology would already permit the construction of a working plant It 1s not impossible therefore that in a relatively short time China could unless steps are taken to prevent it purchase on the open market a producing isotope-separation plant for heavy isotopes In imposing classification on information and material in the field of the centrifuge separation process it is not sufficient to think only in terms of u s work since as I have said before both Germany and the Netherlands are known to equal or excel our own state of the art in this tield In order to insure that such nations as China would not be allowed to accelerate their weapons programs by the use or this isotope separation method it would be necessary also to prevent them from obtaining the information or the material from other knowledgeable nations I therefore reconrnend that immediate consideration be given to amending the olassified bi-laterals with West Germany and the Netherlands to include full cooperation in this field with both nations on a classified basis Because I am sure full cooperation with both these countries will depend at least in part on economic considerations which might involve the purchase ot' the fruits of German and Dutch labor and because of other powerful considerations involving our relations with the British of which I am sure you are well aware I would also strongly recoomend that the bi-lateral existing with the United Kingdom and possibly that with Canada in the future also be amended to permit the same full cooperation This would not only help to maintain our friendly relations with the u K and increase substantially the potential market for Dutch and German produots but by helping to obtain the cooperation of the West Germans and the Dutch would enhance the security of the nation by denying to unfriendly nations suoh as China information and materials Which would enable or assist t hem to establish a nuclear weapon progr8JI Enclosure Table as stated - 53 - Appendix G OOE ARCHIVES l 'i l OOURE TO APPENDIX G Peripheral Radius cm LLR ed maee 4o 6 o 3 33 302 0 582 12 050 17 200 UZ3B 63 5 6 7 li 74 302 0 935 8 38o 11 950 ZG 3 66 5 9 25 3 60 302 0 97 6 300 10 300 5 113 0 9 25 7 03 302 l 64 3 710 6 100 ZG 6 24o o 6 o 302 3 5 5 32 1 750 1 150 1 880 302 34o Ii 77 1 265 845 2 100 1 38o Q 000 2 350 Yeo r Circa UZ l I ZG Jl po 1946 J ccgth cm 20 0 34o ZG 7 • ti 'ti ts Goserus Dif'f'usicn 1960 316 0 22 5 7 03 7 25 't O Cl I-' ag s 0 X '- I t ij g 0 £ tfj CF Ill Germon marks 2 86o