12 October Class Summary

Hi everyone…..

As usual, we had a nuclear class on Tuesday evening. It was a long class and we had gained a lot of interesting information regarding nuclear. The main topic of the lesson is about the nuclear fuel cycle.

First of all, I will show u the illustration of the nuclear fuel cycle so all of u will experience better understanding on this topic.

                                                    The illustration of nuclear fuel cycle

As you can see, nuclear fuel cycle normally starts at the mining process and ends at the disposal process.

For this post, i'll just give some info on Uranium mining and type of  milling used.

                              

Uranium mining is a process of extracting uranium ore from the earth.Most of the uranium ore presents at relatively low concentration. Normally, the uranium ore contain as little as 0.1% uranium or less.Uranium ore is usually mined in large scale to get wanted amount of uranium. There are two types of method used to extract the uranium ore from the earth which are excavations (open-pit mining and underground mining) and in-situ leach technique. Majority proportion of uranium is produced by in-situ leach technique.

Open pit mining

Underground mining

In situ leach technique

The comparison between underground mining and open- pit mining:

	Underground mining			Open pit mining
	extraction of uranium ore from deep underground			extraction of uranium ore near the earth surface
	small surface disturbance			large surface disturbance
	the materials (earth composition) removed is less to access the ore			the materials (earth composition) removed is large to access ore
	increased ventilation to protect from airborne radiation of exposure			open pit is sloped to prevent collapse

Some facts about In-situ leach technique:

• Ore is extracted by dissolving and pumping pregnant solution method
• Little surface disturbance.
• Proper arrangement of In-situ leach plant
• Safe,controllable and more environment friendly

Uranium milling is where uranium is extracted from the ore. Uranium milling produces

a uranium oxide concentrate which is also known as ''yellow cake''. This concentrate 

contains more than 80% uranium. 

                                                                                A drum of yellowcake

How does the yellowcake produce? not this Yellow Cake

The yellow cake is produced in a nuclear mill. First, uranium contain is extracted 

from the ore by leaching, in which either a strong acid or a strong alkaline solution is

used to dissolve the uranium oxide. Then the uranium oxide is precipitated and removed 

from the solution. After drying and heatingit is packed in normal 200-litre drum as a

concentrate which is known as 'yellowcake'.

Do you know that 27% of the global uranium is produced by Kazakhstan.

As you can see from the graph, Canada,Australia and Kazakhstan are the top three

uranium producer. The three countries produce more than half of world uranium production.

Other countries that act as uranium producer are Russia, Nigeria,Namibia,Uzbekistan,USA,

Ukraine, China and South Africa.

that's all for now folks...
i will post another posting regarding on Enrichment and fabrication process.  
See ya in the next posting.

Underground mining

Open pit mining

extraction of uranium ore from deep underground

extraction of uranium ore near the earth surface

small surface disturbance

large surface disturbance

the materials (earth composition) removed is less to access the ore

the materials (earth composition) removed is large to access ore

increased ventilation to protect from airborne radiation of exposure

open pit is sloped to prevent collapse