Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Extracting The Precious Metal: Uranium, A Metallic Element Discovered By A German Chemist In 1789, Became A Crucial Resource In The Modern World. Its Importance Was Not Fully Understood Until A Century And A Half Later, When Scientists Discovered That Uranium Atoms Could Be Split To Produce Energy.
To obtain this valuable resource, miners need to go 500 meters below the surface, in one of the largest and richest uranium deposits in the world, located in the north of Saskatchewan, Canada.
The Mineral Containing Uranium Is Located At A Depth Of 130 Meters In The Sandstone Layer
The mineral containing uranium is situated beneath a layer of water-saturated sandstone. To access it, miners use tungsten carbide drill bits, similar to our fingertips, to drill into the rock. These initial holes are for tubes that will extract the heat from the ground and freeze the area around the mineral.
The miner operates the equipment remotely, transferring a new section of pipe every one and a half meters until reaching a depth of 130 meters in the sandstone layer. This process can take up to 8 days to complete, and there are 200 of these pipes set up to surround the mineral deposit.
-
BNDES targets R$ 50 billion in credit and investment for critical minerals and is already analyzing 56 projects that could open a new front of operations at the bank.
-
Mine in the Arctic Circle was about to close, but surprised by revealing a rare 158-carat, 2-billion-year-old yellow diamond.
-
China surprises the world with the discovery of a “supergiant” deposit valued at US$ 85.9 billion, containing over 1,000 tons of gold at a depth of 2,000 meters and an impressive concentration of 138 grams per ton of rock.
-
BRL 9 billion, 12.5 million tons per year, and operation until 2041: MRN receives Ibama license to open new bauxite mines in Pará and maintain a chain that drives jobs, taxes, and local purchases
See How This Powerful Mineral Is Extracted From The Mines
A freezing plant on the surface cools a calcium chloride brine solution to -30 degrees Celsius and distributes it through the freezing tubes. The brine absorbs heat as it freezes the surrounding ground, creating a stable and ice-encapsulated environment for the miners to work in. With the ground now stabilized, the miners are ready to extract the mineral.
Refining The Uranium
Using a pilot hole as a guide, the miners drill a larger hole to access the rock that contains uranium. The mineral, which contains about 15% uranium, is then loaded into a cart and scanned to measure its radioactivity. The high-quality ore, with an average uranium content of around 18%, is then transported to a plant located 80 kilometers away.
At the plant, the uranium-containing material is crushed and ground into a fine powder, which is then mixed with water to create a slurry. This slurry is pumped to the surface, where it undergoes a series of chemical processes to extract and purify the uranium. The uranium is first converted into gas, which is then fed into centrifuges to separate the isotope uranium-235, the key component for creating a chain reaction in nuclear reactors.
Turning Uranium Into Fuel
The enriched uranium powder is then converted into uranium trioxide, an intermediate chemical form in the fuel processing chain. This powder is transported to a nuclear fuel processing plant, where it is processed into uranium dioxide, the chemical form required for nuclear fuel.
The uranium dioxide powder is then pressed into small pellets using several tons of pressure. These pellets, the size of a peanut, are then loaded into zirconium alloy tubes to create fuel rods. The fuel rods are then assembled into fuel assemblies, which are the key components that will be inserted into the core of a nuclear reactor.
Powering The Grid
Once the fuel assemblies are ready, they are transported to a nuclear plant, where they will be loaded into the reactor core. Inside the reactor, the uranium-235 atoms undergo fission, releasing energy in the form of heat. This heat is used to convert water into steam, which then drives turbines to generate electricity.
A single fuel assembly, containing approximately 30 fuel rods, can generate enough heat to power 100 homes for a year. The used fuel rods, highly radioactive and extremely hot, must be stored in pools filled with water for 10 years before they can be safely disposed of. These used rods, totaling more than 700,000, are stored deep within the plant’s storage facility, a testament to the immense power and potential of uranium as an energy source.
What Is Enriched Uranium
Uranium atoms have various variants, called isotopes. They all have the same number of protons in the nucleus but different numbers of neutrons. The uranium found in nature has a concentration of 99.27% of the variant called U-238 and 0.72% of the variant U-235, which is used as fuel and for weapon production.
Enriched uranium is what has a high concentration of the U-235 variant. Enrichment is done by adding uranium hexafluoride gas to centrifuges that separate the isotope most suitable for nuclear fission, U-235.
Uranium with a low concentration of U-235 (3% to 5%) is used for the production of nuclear power plant fuel. Uranium with a concentration of at least 20% is typically used for research. Uranium with 90% U-235 can be used for the production of nuclear weapons.
The Journey Of Uranium Is A Complex And Fascinating Process
The journey of uranium, from its extraction deep within the earth to its transformation into nuclear fuel, is a complex and fascinating process. By understanding the meticulous steps involved in unleashing the power of this precious metal, we can better appreciate the critical role it plays in meeting the world’s energy demands. As we continue to explore and harness the potential of uranium, we must do so with the utmost care and responsibility, ensuring the safety and sustainability of this vital resource for future generations.
I Would Love To Know If You Were Already Aware Of This Powerful Mineral. Share With Us In The Comments Section What You Thought. Don’t Forget To Leave 5 Stars And Turn On Notifications From CPG To Keep Up With All The News In The World Of Mining. Until Next Time!
Be the first to react!