nuclear fuel cycle
Fuel
Fabrication
Pool
In Situ
Mining
Uranium Recovery
Heap Leach
Reactor
Storage
Dry Cask
Reprocessing
Facility
Disposal
Natural Urianium
Milling
Conversion
Enrichment
Enriched Uranium
Depleted Uranium
Fresh UO
Fresh MOX
Spent UO2
Spent MOX
Reprocessed Uranium
Uranium-
Plutonium
Mixture
Deconversion of Depleted Uranium
2
The nuclear fuel cycle is the progression of nuclear energy from creation to disposal. In the United States, uranium is processed in different chemical and physical forms to create nuclear energy. Mixed oxide (MOX) is another type of nuclear energy. At each stage of the fuel cycle, nuclear materials can be measured.
Uranium recovery to extract (or mine) uranium ore, and concentrate (or mill) the ore to produce a uranium ore concentrate, sometimes called U3O8 or "yellowcake"
Milling extracts the uranium from the ore.
Conversion of uranium ore concentrate into uranium hexafluoride (UF6)
Enrichment to increase the concentration of uranium-235 (U235) in UF6
Deconversion to reduce the hazards associated with the depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), or "tailings," produced in earlier stages of the fuel cycle
Fuel fabrication to convert natural and enriched UF6 into UO2 or uranium metal alloys for use as fuel for nuclear reactors. This step also includes mixed oxide fuel fabrication.
Use of the fuel in reactors (nuclear power, research, or naval propulsion)
Interim storage of spent nuclear fuel
Reprocessing (or recycling) of high-level waste
Final disposition (disposal) of used fuel or high-level waste
nuclear fuel cycle
Fuel
Fabrication
Pool
In Situ
Mining
Uranium Recovery
Heap Leach
Reactor
Storage
Dry Cask
Reprocessing
Facility
Storage / Disposal
Natural Urianium
Milling
Conversion
Enrichment
Enriched Uranium
Depleted Uranium
Fresh UO
Fresh MOX
Spent UO2
Spent MOX
Reprocessed Uranium
Uranium-
Plutonium
Mixture
Deconversion of Depleted Uranium
2