BORIS KIDRIC NUCLEAR PHYSICS INSTITUTE AT VINCA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R005600030049-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 49
• Publication Date: June 24, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP80501540R005600030049-0
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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contains information affecting the Na-
f the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
emended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of thi. fnTMn
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SECRET/CONTROL -1%S.-OFFICIAIS ONLY
COUNTRY Yugoslavia
SUBJECT Boris Kidric Nuclear Physics
Institute at Vinca
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 24 June 1954
NO. OF PAGES
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. REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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1. The Boris Kidric Nuclear Physics Institute at Vince is situated 14 kilometers
from Belgrade south of the road to Smederevo. It was built and equipped.
under the direction of Professor Pavle Savic, of Belgrade University, in
1948-1950 and started operation in January 1952; the initiative for this
project as well as the finance came entirely from the Yugoslav Government.
Prior to its construction no research work in nuclear physics was con-
ducted in Yugoslavia, except to search for uranium deposits on orders from
MOGOOV.
2. There were no experts in the country except Professor Savicp who gained his
experience as one of MMe. Curie's assistants., Savic was called to Moscow
three times prior to 1948 for consultation On nuclear physics experiments
he knows the Soviet system of working and the atomic experts involved.
3. Staff
a. The -inatitute is staffed by the following experts: *
Pavle Savic (Director)1
Stefan Dedijer (Political Director)
Professor Alexander Milojevic (Assistant Director)
Dr. Robert Wallin, Dutch expert on construction
Engineer Milorad Ristic, head of reaction group and also head
Party man in the institute
Professor Wintersteiger (Head of the Technological Group)
b. In addition there are 100 young research workers drawn from the univer-
sities, 80 assistants and about 20 engineer consultants who are
collectively known as the "Atomic Battalion". Most of these research
workers have attended courses.at one of the atomic research institutes
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STATE
ARMY
NAVY
AIR
FBI
AEC
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abroad
c. There are 15. research workers studying abroad at the present time
4. The institute consists of six departments:
Physics Department
Physics-Chemistry Department
Technology Department
Biology Department
Laboratory for applied mathematics
Library
5. The "Atomic Battalion" works in two groups:
ad Reactor group) led by'Engineer-Milorad Ristic.
(a) This group is engaged in the.construction,of an atomic. pile and
,the practical application ofatomicenergy to industry, eta.,
? .
(2) The construction of the urenium?p4e presents grest,difficult;ies.
.Eighty'percent tf the equipment and material .has to be imported
and there are insufficient funds at the institute's disposal for
their purchase. Attempts are therefore being made to manufacture
the required parts in Yugoslavia, but so far vith:little success.
(3) A constant search for fissionable materipl:is:beirig.ait4ed but
by this group in Yugoslavia. Several types of suitable ore have
been found at Knezevo, Macedonia, and Kopaonik and Maiden Pek in
Serbia. They have given satisfactory results under local tests
and samples have been sent for detailed analysis in France and
Sweden.
b. Technological Group, led by Professor Wintersteiger
(1)
This group has constructed several types of Geiger-Mueller counters
and fluorometers for use in the search for fissionable material in
Yugoslavia. It has also obtained by purchase variousapectographs
and specto photometers.
(2) The group also operates the V-15 accelerator which ii used for
bombarding atoms with radium ions.obtained from 410 grams of
beryllium in the machine. This machine stands about 10 meters
high and is constructed of porcelain and metal. It is situated
in a Special square building built to house it and uses power
at a million and a half volts. It was erected at Vince in 1951
by Swiss engineers and has been in constant use until January
1954 when it was dismantled and cleaned. After cleaning, a new
power source of 6 kilograms of beryllium was put into the machine
instead of the original 410 grams.
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6. In January 1954 Engineer Ristic submitted a long report to the Central
Committee of the Federation of Communists of Yugoslavia (FCY) outlining
the work of the institute and the possibilities of exploiting its work ,
for the good of the State. In his report he made the following points
a. The appearance of new procedural methods and breeder-reactors made
it possible to make 5 times more use of the country's available
uranium resources;
b. The reactor pile now under construction was of great political and
economic significance. Its installation costs would be enormous but
unavoidable, but once working it would be a very profitable concern.
It vas, of course, an experimental reactor and the results of the
experiments conducted would be coordinated with similar experiments
now,going on in France, Norway and Sweden with which countries there
vas.close,cooperation-in this field;
c. The process of converting industrial plants to use atomic energy had
already begun in Europe and must be started in Yugoslavia if the
country was not to be left behind by other countries whose industrial
technique was developing on these lines. It would have to be done in
the following way:
(1) Obtaining fissionable material such as uranium and thorium.
,This could be done by using locally produced ores, but would not
,be economical because the deposits so far located 96ntdin.l.nblouri.-
ties which must be eradicated;
(2) ,PUrchabing pure nuclear 'material, i!e.,.0 235 P4 .3.9 and later
U 233 and Pu 241. Up to now Yugoiltivia has only IT 238i'
(3) ProduCing material required in the technique of nualeet:fitbion
i.4.4 Moderators such as'heavy'vater products, graphite,'berYilium
and coolers such as sodium, calcium, alloys, helium, etc.,;
(4) Producing construction miterial, i.e.) zircohitinip'alinum, special
steel, special alloys, metallic ceramics,#om x'efraatorr oiideSond
carbides; '
(5) Constructing nuclear instruments such as numerous kinds of radio-
active indicators;
(6) Constructing accelerators;
(7) Producing ibotopes.
;?
d. There was no secret about the method of producing 'atomic bombs and
artillery missiles so far as YugosIvia was concerned, since they had
a copy of the "Smyth report" and therefore know in detail the. technique
of separating U 235. However, in order to produce 10 atom bombs a' .
year it would be necessary to purchase a huge quantity of uranium and
invest about 90 billion dinars in the requisite machinery for separating
it. Moreover, the electric current required for cooling the reactor
producing platonium would be about 2,000, kilowatt hours equivalent
to the present total production in Yugoslavia. Under specially ideal
conditions, therefore, the production of 10 atom bombs a year would
cost 25 percent of the national yearly' income or about the same as
the total defense budget. It was therefore clearly not worth while.
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e. In conclusion, Yugoslavia could best use atomic energy in providing nover
? for industry and transport, in particular for ships'
As regards industrial use of atomic energy, an atomic powered
electric power stationwas far cheaper to run than a thermo-station and
18 percent cheaper to install than a hydro-electric station.
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? O.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP80501540R005600030049-0