Question

How to refine Uranium

Answer 1

Uranium is a major metal that contributes as a nuclear fuel .

It is a common ore that is found in the earth's crust. The ore is mined and transported to the uranium mills , where it is ground to the powder form and uranium is seperated and then purified to produce a dry powder of uranium oxide . This oxide powder is known as Uranium ore concentrate (UOC).

These concentrates also known as yellow cake ( due to their colour) are transported to chemical conversion plants . This oxide is U3O8.

Now the uranium is seperated from impurities through different chemical processes such as digestion , solvent extraction , denitration etc . A High purity uranium trioxide UO3 is then produced .

These trioxides are then subjected to heavy or light water reactors to produce UO2 or UF6 .

After this , the enrichment of uranium is done by using two techniques , namely , Gaseous diffusion and Gas centrifuges .

The enriched uranium is then pressed into small cylinderical shapes , so that they can be used as the nuclear fuel .