Approximately 60% of the surplus weapons plutonium is stored at Pantex.
Almost 80% of the surplus weapons metal is at Pantex.
The plutonium is most secure when held behind protected fences. Ideally, it will be moved from behind the security of these fences as little as possible.
For transportation purposes, plutonium in unclassified form is more proliferation-resistant and secure than plutonium in classified weapon components.
The U.S. produced or acquired 111.4 metric tons of Pu between 1944 and 1994.
Of the 111.4 metric tons that have been produced, 99.5 metric tons remain in the inventory as of Sept. '94. (Pu was primarily used in wartime, tests and wastes).
86% of this 99.5 metric tons is in weapons plutonium.
38.2 metric tons of the weapons plutonium have been declared surplus. Additional inventories of other grades of plutonium are expected to bring the total surplus to 50 metric tons.
