Uranium
General Info
The isotope that is most commonly used in nuclear fission is Uranium-235. It is used in nuclear reactors because it undergoes fission relatively easily (Friedland and Relyea, 2015). For more information on U-235, visit our Chemistry page.
Abundance
Uranium is relatively abundant in Earth's crust, but many uranium ore deposits contain as little as 1% U-235. U-238, a different uranium isotope, is most abundant in the ore deposits. Because of this, once uranium is extracted it must be enriched to increase the concentration of U-235. In order to be usable in a nuclear power plant, fuel must be at least 3% U-235 (Friedland and Relyea, 2015).
Extraction
There are two main processes used to extract uranium.
Mining
The first process is known as mining. When uranium is mined, it is removed from a shallow crater or deep shaft that extends underground. Today, chemicals are being used that make extraction easier. These chemicals are added into underground areas containing ore, and they filter the uranium out of the deposits (Uranium Recovery, 2015).
Milling
Milling is the second process in the extraction of uranium. In this process, the uranium ore that has been mined is crushed, and extraction is done again, using chemicals to pull uranium from the ore. This uranium then becomes concentrated, and creates a yellow substance called yellowcake (Uranium Recovery, 2015).
