Multimedia: Fuel Cycle

Mining and Milling

Uranium ore is found in many countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Niger, Russia, South Africa, and the United States. Uranium ore can be mined from open-cut mines on the surface or dug out of underground mines. It can also be extracted by leaching the uranium ore out of an underground deposit. After the ore is mined, it is milled (crushed into a fine powder) and treated with sulfuric acid to form a uranium oxide concentrate (U3O8) known as "yellowcake" because of its yellowish color.

 

Fuel Cycle, page 2 of 9

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents.
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