User:Dr Muhammad Shabbir PAEC

Muhammad Shabbir, H.I., S.I. B.Sc. (Hon.), M.Sc., Ph.D. FPICE Pak.

INTRODUCTION

Muhammad Shabbir did his B.Sc. (Hons.) Chemical Engineering in 1962 as a student of Government College Lahore and M.Sc. Chemical Engineering in 1963 from Institute of Chemical Technology, University of the Punjab, Pakistan. He got his Ph.D. Chemical Engineering from University of NSW, Australia in 1968. He is Member and Fellow of various engineering and academic societies. He has contributed to various national and international conferences of significant importance and has number of research publications to his credit. He retired from PAEC as Director General in 1999. After retirements he was appointed as Managing Director of MDP. His last assignment in PAEC was Member Chairman Advisory Council. At present he is engaged as Managing Director of Underground Coal Gasification Project Thar,

Dr. Shabbir worked at highly responsible positions in PAEC from 1964. He headed a team, which designed, fabricated, and operated the first uranium extraction pilot plant indigenously. Based on these data, the first mill was commissioned in the country in 1980. He established and headed for almost seventeen years as technical and administrative head of the Chemical Plants Complex. His contribution to the nuclear materials production programme of PAEC has resulted in continuous and sustained progress. Production targets have consistently been achieved and new materials produced. These are examples of his contribution in the important area of self-reliance. His contributions in establishing an advanced infrastructure in the field of chemical engineering, metallurgy and mechanical engineering has brought the country to a stage where strategic chemical and metallurgical plants can be designed, fabricated and operated indigenously. The success is all the more laudable as the project has been completed in spite of strict embargoes and restrictions placed against our national nuclear endeavour. The complex is an example of an entirely indigenous effort starting from the design to the successful commissioning of the plant. His areas of responsibilities were extended from prospection, mining, refining and conversion of uranium to the production of nuclear materials, fuel development and fuel fabrication.

Dr. Shabbir’s activities over the past forty four years have been directed to process development, plant design, installation and commissioning of chemical and metallurgical plants for the production of nuclear materials. In view of his excellent technical and administrative capabilities, he was made responsible to supervise Projects related to Nuclear Minerals, Materials and Fuel production as Director General, Nuclear Fuels & Materials, in 1994. Within the framework of DGNF&M, responsibilities were related to technical, administrative and financial matters in the areas such as Nuclear Minerals Prospection, Exploration, Mining, Processing and Refining, Production of Nuclear Materials, Nuclear Fuel and Core components, Back-End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management. Established an infrastructure for  development  in   the   fields   of   Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering related to Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Scope of  work includes of nuclear fuel and core components. Coordination regarding back-end of nuclear fuel cycle and waste management. Some important plants which were designed, fabricated, installed and commissioned are Calcium Flouride. Hydrofloric Acid. Flourine Gas. Uranium Process development, Plant designing, Fabrication, Installation and Production of Nuclear Materials and allied chemicals. Planning and coordination in the field of prospection, exploration, mining, processing refining and conversion of nuclear related minerals. Fabrication Tetraflouride  (Dry & Wet Process) Uranium Hexaflouride. Uranium Dioxide. Calcium Metal. Magnesium Metal. Zirconium Metal. And Beryllium Metal Plant etc.

Dr. Shabbir established MDP. Within the framework of (MDP) scope of work includes Siesmotectonic & Geological Studies for Site selection, Architectural Planning, Structural Design & Analysis, Planning, Design & Execution of Tunnels, Electrical Systems, HVAC & Mechanical Systems, NBC detection & protection systems and Life Support Systems for Hardened Facilities, EMP & TEMPEST Protections, Fire detection, Fire suppression systems, CCTV, and System Engineering for Hardened Facilities.

In international assignments he worked on the Dissolution Kinetics of Uranium Dioxide at Institute of Chemical Engineering, University of NSW, Australia, Refining of Uranium at Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Height, Australia. Peroxide Precipitation of

Uranium at US Bureau of Mines, Industrial Processing of Uranium Ore at United Nuclear Homestakes Partners, USA and at Ker McGee Nuclear Corporation, USA. Acid Cure and Water Percolation Studies of Uranium Ore and Comparative Study of Almine 336, Adogen 364, Barlene and Di-tridecylamine as Liquid Ion-Exchange for Uranium were also carried out at Ker McGee Nuclear Corporation, USA. Study tours were made to nine Uranium Mills in USA. He was awarded Colombo Plan Scholarship and IAEA Fellowship for his international assignments.

By virtue of his outstanding contributions towards nuclear materials, he has been honoured with various awards. He has been awarded National Civil Award of Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1992 and Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 1999 by President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was also the recipient of Academy's Open Gold Medal awarded by Pakistan Academy of Science in the field of Engineering and Technology in 1991 and Gold Medal for excellence in the field of Nuclear Materials by Punjab Geological Society, Lahore in 1998. Pakistan Institute of Chemical Engineers has also awarded the Gold Medal for excellence in the field of Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Fuels & Materials in 1998.

Dr. Shabbir has played a significant role in maturing the Nuclear Materials production projects undertaken by the commission during all this period, which ultimately leads either to nuclear weaponry or nuclear reactor fuels. He has successfully provided the technical guidance, supervision and motivation to his team for the Nuclear Mineral and Materials Programme of the Commission. He has led a team of scientists who successfully designed, fabricated plants for the production of nuclear materials.

Academic assignments: He was Member board of studies Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, He acted as external examiner of Nuclear Chemical Engineering at U.E.T. and Transport Phenomenon at Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology  University of the Punjab. He acted as one of the Specialists/Experts to evaluate the Research / Publications of candidates for appointment as Professors and Associate Professors in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Member Executive Council Pakistan Institute of Chemical Engineers and Member Academic Council of Baha-ud-Din Zakariya University, Multan.

His leadership qualities combined with dedicated hard work and pioneering efforts have been a source of inspiration for his colleagues and young scientists and engineers. He has also played a very significant role in development of technical manpower in the field of nuclear materials and fuels for nuclear reactors.

He was also engaged as Member Chairman Advisory Council of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission as last assignment in Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. His present assignment is as Managing Director Underground Coal Gasification Thar Project Which is a challenge to utilise the largest coal deposit of Pakistan.

House # 48, Street# 15, F – 11/2, Islamabad. Phone: (Res:) Int+92 51 9267618 E-mail: muhammadshabbir@yahoo.com muhammadshabbir39@gmail.com