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Q: What is uranium?
A: Uranium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol U and atomic number 92. Heavy, silvery-white, metallic, naturally radioactive, uranium belongs to the actinide series. Its isotopes 235U and to a lesser degree 233U are used as the fuel for nuclear reactors and the explosive material for nuclear weapons.
(Source: www.wikipedia.org)
Q: What is Depleted Uranium?
A: Depleted Uranium (DU) is uranium remaining after removal of the isotope uranium-235. It is primarily composed of the isotope uranium-238. In the past it was called by the names Q-metal, depletalloy, and D-38, but these have fallen into disuse. Since depleted uranium contains less than one third as much uranium-235 and uranium-234 as natural uranium, it is weakly radioactive and an external radiation dose from depleted uranium is about 60% of that from the same mass of uranium with a natural isotopic ratio. Depleted uranium (238U) is used in kinetic energy penetrators and armor plating.
(Source: www.wikipedia.org)
Q: How much uranium was produced world-wide in 2006?
A: World Total 39,655 t.
Q: How do you describe the uranium industry?
A: The uranium industry encompasses a very small market, with only 10 producers and four traders. There is a severe lack of existing uranium mines, which provides tremendous potential to develop and expand into this sector. There are looming supply-side deficits to meet the growing demand of this commodity. Uranium is becoming more popular as the 'green energy of choice'. Furthermore, the market price for uranium is widely expected to hold its current market value of over US$80/lb.
Q: How is uranium used?
A: Uranium is used to generate electricity. After the uranium is mined, it is then sent to a milling plant where it will be crushed and processed. The resulting product is a fine power called "yellowcake". The yellowcake is then further processed and chemically converted. Additional processing at a conversion facility is required. After all this is done, it will be sent to a fuel fabrication plant. The uranium powder will be pressed into cylindrical shapes and fired to produce ceramic fuel pellets. The pellets will then be placed in little rods and fastened together into fuel bundles for the CANDU type reactors in Canada.
(Source: Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Bureau)
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