Can Silex Systems handle this hot potato?
Based at the Lucas Heights Science & Technology Centre, Silex is used to working with embryonic technologies. It had 2009 revenues of $9.2 million and posted a net loss in 2009 of $3.75 million. The SILEX laser technology is being commercialised in the US by a company established by a consortium of global nuclear players, called GLE. “That technology only came into being around 1996,” says Dr Goldsworthy. “It took a few years of background investigation. The technology that’s being developed by GE, Hitachi and Cameco in the US now has taken about 13 years to get to this point.” Silex hopes to know the results of the test loop soon and will “hopefully” move towards a commercial plant after that. “You know, it’s tough doing high tech development, yes, you’re right, very tough,” says Dr Goldsworthy. But the company’s backers have deep pockets. The largest shareholder in Silex is Jardvan Pty Ltd, the family company of Michael Boyd, a major investor in the phenomenally-successful pathology-
