'Proof of Principle' demonstration of the SILEX Process was achieved at the Company's laboratories at Lucas Heights, south of Sydney. SILEX is in principle a generic or core technology, and has a number of potential applications. The largest existing market - Uranium Enrichment (US$6 billion per annum) became the primary focus of the Company.

Silex was divested from Sonic and immediately set out to form an alliance with a participant in the uranium enrichment industry. An agreement for the development and licensing of SILEX Technology (exclusively for uranium), was signed with the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC, Inc) with an upfront payment of US$7 million.

Silex listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 7 May 1998.

The first milestone of the uranium enrichment program was successfully achieved, triggering a milestone payment of US$5 million from USEC.

The Stable Isotopes Program was launched to investigate the development of the SILEX Technology for application to silicon, oxygen and carbon enrichment.

Silex won the 2000 Australian Technology Award for Excellence in the Manufacturing and Engineering sector.

Silex won the 2000 Australian Technology Award for Excellence in the Manufacturing and Engineering sector.

Silex secured a START Grant from the Australian Government to fund 50% of the SILEX Stable Isotope Program.

A research agreement signed with Westinghouse Electric Company to investigate the application of SILEX Technology to the enrichment of zirconium, (which has the potential to improve the economics of nuclear power reactors).

Silex raised $36 million to assist in funding the development of the Company’s technology portfolio.

Silex moved further into the semiconductor technology field with the acquisition of a 30% interest in Translucent Inc, a Silicon Valley start-up developing silicon photonics technology for the photonics/optical communications industry.

The SILEX Technology was officially “Classified” by the US and Australian Governments. The implications of classification relate mainly to security protocols.

Silex acquired a controlling interest in ChronoLogic Pty Ltd, Adelaide-based start-up developing novel technology for the electronics and instrumentation industries.

The SILEX Uranium Enrichment Project achieved a key milestone with the first full demonstration of practical uranium enrichment using the SILEX ‘Direct Measurement Facility’.

Silex signed a Collaboration Agreement with Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation (SUMCO), the world’s second largest silicon wafer manufacturer, to test enriched silicon wafers for semiconductor applications.

USEC announced its withdrawal from the uranium project after funding it for 6 years.

Silex took a majority ownership in Translucent Inc, moving to ~ 70% interest (from 30%).  Also increases its stake in ChronoLogic to 85% (from 51%).

The SILEX silicon project achieved a key demonstration milestone, with enrichment of silicon-28 to 99.9% (from ~92% natural assay).

Translucent achieves key milestone with demonstration of optical activity in silicon.

  Translucent secured its first US Patent for the ‘optical silicon’ invention.

Silex commissioned the world’s first silicon laser enrichment pilot plant.

Translucent pursues patents for ‘spin-off’ technologies: Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) and dielectric substrates, with potential applications to the silicon chip industry.

Translucent wins a US Defence Department DARPA Grant to help develop the ‘optical silicon’ technology, under DARPA’s Electronics and Photonics Integrated Circuits (EPIC) Program.

Results of enriched silicon wafer tests conducted by SUMCO show modest improvements in overall semiconductor device performance, resulting in the project being shelved subject to further advances in chip technology.

Subsidiary ChronoLogic wins a Federal Government “Commercial Ready Grant” for its novel ‘USB-inSync™’ Data Acquisition Technology ($1.2M over three years).

Silex announced the successful completion of its Uranium Enrichment Technology Evaluation project, the results indicating attractive economics.  Due Diligence reviews by several potential commercial partners commence later in the year after US Government approval delays.

Translucent achieved a key milestone in its project to develop a silicon-based photonics material – the demonstration of ‘electroluminescence’ at room temperature – an important step in the quest to develop a silicon laser and optical interconnects.

  Silex and the General Electric Company sign an exclusive Commercialisation and License Agreement for the SILEX Uranium Enrichment Technology in May, with US Government authorisations received in October.

Translucent files two provisional patents for the development of its advanced materials in Alternative Energy applications:  high efficiency solar cells and thermoelectric energy conversion.

The transfer of the SILEX Uranium Enrichment project to GE’s Wilmington, North Carolina nuclear fuel plant was completed in the first half of 2007.  This included equipment used in prior work, to be re-deployed in the Test Loop Program, and a team of 12 key Silex staff who joined the GE team in Wilmington.

GE-Hitachi Signs Letters of Intent for uranium enrichment services and support using the SILEX Technology with Exelon and Entergy - the two largest nuclear power utilities in the US.

Silex successfully completes a $50 million placement of new securities in October to professional and sophisticated shareholders. The placement closed heavily oversubscribed.

Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), formed as a subsidiary of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to commercialise the SILEX Technology, announced that it had selected its Wilmington, N.C., headquarters site for the first potential commercial SILEX uranium enrichment facility.

GLE was notified that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a license amendment (to an existing nuclear facility license) to operate the Test Loop for the next generation SILEX laser enrichment technology.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and Cameco Corp. (NYSE:CCJ) announced that Cameco Corporation, the world’s largest uranium producer, had joined GE and Hitachi as owners of their laser enrichment venture GLE. Cameco paid US$123.8 million for a 24% stake in GLE. GE retained 51% ownership, with Hitachi at 25%.

GLE achieved a key licensing milestone with the early submission of an environmental report to the US NRC in February. This report comprises a major part of the full license application.

Silex announced in June the acquisition of the Sydney Olympic Park (SOP) solar manufacturing facility, including the entire production equipment (purchased from BP Solar for $6.5 M) infrastructure and a lengthy building lease. The SOP plant is being re-started with production and initial sales targeted for first quarter in 2010.

GLE submitted in June the full license application to the US NRC to build and operate a commercial SILEX uranium-enrichment facility in Wilmington N.C., the first to use laser technology. In August the NRC announced it had accepted the license application, triggering a ~30 months review process.

Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) in July announced the on-schedule start-up of the Test Loop to evaluate the next-generation SILEX uranium enrichment technology. This triggered a ~6 month period of testing which would then allow GLE to decide on whether to proceed with construction of the first commercial plant.