Posted on 05/23/2006 7:13:05 PM PDT by jveritas
On page 40 of document ISGQ-2003-00000847 there is an October 2002 document where there is a request submitted by Zoo Al Fikar Military factory to the “Iraqi Directorate of Planning and Follow up” for 500 Kilograms of SODIUM CYANIDE (NaCN), 15 tones of HYDROCHLORIC ACID ( HCL), and 30 tones of SULFURIC ACID (H2SO4). Sodium Cyanide is an important precursor to produce a Chemical Weapon called HYDROGEN CYANIDE (HCN) also known as ZYCLON B and the use of Sodium Cyanide with Hydrochloric acid or Sulfuric Acid will produce this Chemical Weapon. Although Sodium Cyanide can be used for other military and civilian applications its combination with Hydrochloric Acid or Sulfuric Acid will produce Chemical Weapons and knowing Saddam Regime obsession of acquiring Chemical Weapons and other WMD, this document has a lot of importance.
Beginning of partial Translation of Page 40 of document ISGQ-2003-00000847.
Zoo AL Fikar Factory
Number 499
Date 26/10/2002
To: The Directorate of Planning and Followup
Subject: Need
Your memo number 384 on 3/10/2002 we submit to you below our need of Chemical Materials to the year 2003 to take what is necessary with regards.
1. Name of material: Nitric Acid. Unit: Liter. Quantity: 600. Origin: Iraqi.
2. Name of material: Third Oxide of Chrome. Unit: KG. Quantity: 500. Origin: English/Chinese.
3. Name of material: Dye . Unit: KG. Quantity: 25. Origin: Western.
4. Name of material: HCL. Unit: Ton. Quantity: 15. Origin: Iraqi.
5. Name of material: Hylite Zinc. Unit: KG. Quantity: 500. Origin: Western.
6. Name of material: SODIUM CYANIDE. Unit: KG. Quantity: 500. Origin: Western.
17. Name of material: SULFURIC ACID. Unit: Ton. Quantity: 30. Origin: Iraqi.
End of Partial Translation of page 40.
This paragraph from MSDS website regarding the danger of Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) and how it can be obtained by mixing Sodium Cyanide (NaCN) and Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4).
”Exposure to 300 ppm hydrogen cyanide by inhalation can be fatal within minutes and lower doses can endanger life. The high toxicity of HCN was once exploited for the execution of prisoners in several US states; the HCN was generated as needed by dropping NaCN into a solution of sulfuric acid.” http://www.ilpi.com/msdS/ref/cyanide.html
The group seems to be from Zoo AL Fiqar factory.
This looks like a plating or pickling industrial operation. Cleaning, pickling, anodizing aluminum (hence the dye) or chromium plating by the zinc method.
Cyanide is not at all uncommon in industry; in the US the annual usage is tremendous.
Thanks for all the translations, jveritas.
Excellent j... will get it out.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/chrome/chromeplating.pdf
This article is full of cyanide, acids, trivalent chrome, nickel, and all the other stuff that makes metal plating not a terribly "green" activity.
Do a search on cyanide in the pdf and you will see that it is frequently mentioned.
bump
Your right, it could be used in a copper strike bath. I've seen pyrophosphate used. It gives a better coating and addresses the environmental concerns you mentioned.
I'm sure it was all for chrome-plating AKMs for awards. Saddam had several. See? It's all harmless. /sarc
Thank you for keeping us informed jveritas. I was wondering where you were. Missed you. Tis a very interesting piece of information...Wonder what they were planning?
Not a chemist, but aren't these used to manufacture baby milk. Paging Peter Arnett...
Bumped and bookmarked
Also: "Sodium cyanide is controlled by the Australia Group, an informal export control regime intended to prevent chemical weapon proliferation."
You may want to contact the Australia Group.
Joe Wilson says this is not true. He had Turkish Coffee with some Govt officials (who always tell the truth) and determined that it is a lie, just like the yellocake.
LOL
Here''s something about the Finnish supply sodium cyanide to Iraq in 2002.
Finnish detectives investigated suspicions of Iraqi WMDs in 2003
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finnish+detectives+investigated+suspicions+of+Iraqi+WMDs+in+2003/1101981878033
Okay.... I found the GRL (Goods Review List) of banned dual use items.
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N01/668/53/PDF/N0166853.pdf?OpenElement
All resolutions pertaining to Iraq with link to the GRL:
http://www.casi.org.uk/info/scriraq.html
Nitric Acid has a lot of uses including processing yellowcake uranium!
Chickenhawk has provided interesting information. Did we ever figure out anything about the aluminum tubes at the plant?
Very interesting, thank you very much.
I doubt it is banned, but it is controlled. There are a fair number of chemical process that use it.
No.
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