What does the KFS buy and sell?

[Matt W]

Originally Posted by RandyT0001

Bauxite from central Arkansas (largest deposit), southern Alabama and southern Georgia, and Spottswood, VA. All of the ore around Chattanooga, TN has already been excavated over the past 150 years. If the KFS wants aluminum they have to deal with one of these locations.

Or they could just trade for "scrap" aluminium? There's an anecdote about the average landfill having more aluminium that a bauxite mine. (all those Coke cans and beer kegs). Also, if someone finds the wreck of an old aircraft, the KFS would be happy to buy it

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by Matt W

Or they could just trade for "scrap" aluminium? There's an anecdote about the average landfill having more aluminium that a bauxite mine. (all those Coke cans and beer kegs). Also, if someone finds the wreck of an old aircraft, the KFS would be happy to buy it

The scrap aluminum makes more sense. Even though the KFS has reliable energy, it takes a great deal more electricity to make aluminum from bauxite then to recycle scrap aluminum. Why use that much power when the scrap should be rather plentiful.

[knightofrubus]

I imagine scrap metal as a whole would be a huge trade good especially metal that's clean of radioactivity. After all,some of the best 'mine's in the form of old cities got nuked pretty hard and even 150 years later may very well be still be pretty hot.

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by knightofrubus

I imagine scrap metal as a whole would be a huge trade good especially metal that's clean of radioactivity. After all,some of the best 'mine's in the form of old cities got nuked pretty hard and even 150 years later may very well be still be pretty hot.

Unless you are in a crater of a surface or subsurface blast, most common metals will not be that radioactive after 150 years. The most likely isotopes activated in iron have a half-life of 2.7 years or less. In copper, the half-lives is measured in hours. With the exception of one very rare isotope of aluminum, the half-lives are measured in second or nanoseconds. While there is going to be some hotter spots, by and large scavenging metal should be safe.

[knightofrubus]

Ah ok, for reason I had figured that some hot zones might persist for a long time. Also, are there any nuclear power plants down in Kentucky?

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by knightofrubus

Ah ok, for reason I had figured that some hot zones might persist for a long time. Also, are there any nuclear power plants down in Kentucky?

None in Kentucky. But some in Tennessee, including Oak Ridge.

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

None in Kentucky.

From 1952-2013 there was the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant near Paducah, Kentucky that produced low-enriched uranium. But no, not a power plant itself.