Top Plate Beneath Polar Crane

Provenance

Camera: NIKON D850
Lens: 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8
Settings: 14mm · f/7.1 · 0.6s · ISO 64
Paper: Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310 gsm

A view of the top plate supporting the polar crane within the ANSTO HIFAR reactor building. This heavy infrastructure played a crucial role in managing fuel and equipment during the facility's operation.

Edition

Open edition

Open edition
Printed to order, no fixed quantity. Each print is hand-signed by the photographer.

Limited edition
A fixed number of prints exist. Once sold, the edition closes permanently. Each print is individually numbered and signed.

$100.00 AUD

Colour

Signed, numbered, with COA. Made to order in 10 to 20 business days (framed). Shipped in protective packaging with edition certificate, paper-stock reference and a printed care guide.

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In situ

01 PROVENANCE

Print datasheet

Title: Top Plate Beneath Polar Crane
Series: ANSTO HIFAR
Catalogue: AHF-036
Process: Giclée
Captured: 7 October 2022
Camera: NIKON D850
Lens: 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter: 0.6s s
ISO: 64
Focal length: 14 mm
Paper: Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310 gsm
Paper size: 290 × 200 mm
Location: Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia
Authenticity: C2PA verified provenance →
Recognised by: National Trust of Australia (NSW), 2016 Heritage Award, Multimedia

02 LOCATION

Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia

Map · Mapbox · OpenStreetMap

03 THE STORY

About this print

On the left side of the top plate, the silicon storage block is visible, where silicon ingots were prepared for irradiation. The smaller 125 kg-rated jib crane facilitated the careful loading of billets before they were exposed to neutron radiation within the reactor. Silicon ingots arrived in Sydney, underwent 48 hours of controlled irradiation at ANSTO, and were then cleaned and shipped as radiologically stable, finished material, ready for use in semiconductor production. This print appeals to those with an interest in nuclear science, industrial processes, and the technological advancements that shaped Australia’s role in semiconductor manufacturing.

04 FROM THE FIELD NOTES

Yellow lab coats hang on the mesh walls of the right walkway, worn by personnel working on the top plate area to minimise the risk of radioactive contamination. ANSTO maintains a dedicated ‘active’ laundry facility to handle garments exposed to radiation, ensuring proper decontamination and continued safety.

Brett Patman

The series

ANSTO HIFAR

2022 · 49 photographs

HIFAR, the High Flux Australian Reactor, was Australia's first nuclear reactor. It went critical at 11:15 pm on Sunday 26 January 1958 and ran for forty-nine years and four days before being permanently shut down on 30 January 2007. The reactor was the last of six DIDO-class research reactors built worldwide to cease operation.

View all in this series →

05 SIZE GUIDE

Print sizes

The anatomy view shows what this finish is as a physical object: paper margin, mat band, frame depth, acrylic profile. The comparison strip shows how each size sits relative to the others at true scale. Click a size or a finish to update both.