Sources of Uranium - hdbk1113cn10058

DOE-HDBK-1113-98

Module 102 The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Lesson Plan

Instructor's Notes

most of the world's production of uranium is used for

nuclear reactors.

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Sources of Uranium

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Uranium is found in the earth's crust and is mined as ore.

The average concentration is 2 parts per million (ppm) in

the crust and less than 2 parts per billion (ppb) in the

oceans. During the 1960's and 1970's, a program titled the

Natural Uranium Resource Exploration was funded by the

government to identify the locations of desirable uranium

ore throughout the United States. It was determined that

the most desirable locations of uranium are in the Colorado

Plateau, the Wyoming Basin, and the flanks of the Black

Hills in South Dakota. In those locations, the uranium

concentration is much higher than 2 ppm. Uranium is also

found on the African Continent. The ore is removed from

either shallow open pit s (less t han 300-fo ot, or10 0 m,

depths) or underground mines (greater than 300-foot

depths). The typical uranium content of the ore is 0.15 - 0.3

percent and is in the form of U3O8, which is called

"yellowcake." Uranium is also found in secondary minerals

in the following forms: complex oxides, silicates,

phosphates, and vanadates.

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Uranium Operations and Processes

Discuss the use of uranium at

Uranium processing is dependent upon the desired product,

your site as it is described in this

but it generally involves the following cycle:

section of the lesson plan.