Australia’s new Mo-99 manufacturing facility reaches practical completion

The ANSTO Nuclear Medicine (ANM) project has achieved a new milestone, reaching practical completion for the Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production facility, with contractors handing over the facility to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to complete the final stages of commissioning.

Enabled through a $168 million investment from the Australian Government, the project includes two key facilities, the world’s newest and most state-of-the-art Mo-99 production facility and a co-located world-first Synroc waste processing facility.

The ANSTO Nuclear Medicine project will take Australia from producing predominantly domestic medicine supplies of Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), to being capable of delivering around 25 percent of global needs for the most commonly used nuclear medicine.

Regulatory approvals will also need to be finalised, including from the independent nuclear regulator, ARPANSA, and the TGA.

“We are looking forward to starting our commissioning works, and preparing the facility for medicine production,” Michael Druce, from ANSTO’s commissioning operational readiness team said.

To read more please visit: http://www.ansto.gov.au/AboutANSTO/MediaCentre/News/ACS170897

Source: ANSTO