Uranium Operations and Processes

DOE-HDBK-1113-98

Radiological Safety Traning for Uranium Facilities

Module 102 - The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

D. Uranium Operations and Processes

Uranium processing is dependent upon the desired product, but it generally involves the following

cycle:

mining and millin g,

conversion,

enrichment,

fabrication,

use,

waste disposal/storage, and

decontaminat ion and decommiss ioning.

Uranium Mining and Milling

After removal from the mine, the uranium ore is milled to extract the yellowcake. This

involves the following process:

The ore is crushed, ground, and mixed with water to prepare for chemical

processing.

The crushed ore and water mixture is mixed with chemicals to separate the

yellowcake from the ore. This separation process is called "leaching." The

resultant products include a slurry of yellowcake ready for additional processing

and a mixture of low-grade crushed rock and sand called "mill tailings."

Only about 3 percent of the actual material removed from the mine ends up as

yellowcake, which means that millions of tons of mill tailings are leftover.

Yellowcake contains 70-90% by weight of uranium oxides. The leftover mill

tailings are a concern because they still contain some of the uranium ore .

Additional hazards exist due to the chemicals added.