| Uranium recovery and uranium recycling have | | | | solution. The UNH is transported to another facility |
| both become crucial to the nuclear renaissance. | | | | where it is converted back to uranium oxide in a |
| To support the growing demand for uranium, | | | | process known as the ammonium diuranate |
| governments have begun releasing supplies of | | | | (ADU) process. The uranium is precipitated from |
| highly enriched uranium. This uranium is enriched in | | | | the UNH solution using ammonium hydroxide, and |
| the Uranium-235 (U-235) fissile isotope. The level | | | | the resulting precipitate is then dried and calcined |
| of enrichment can be 50 to 95%, and is used for | | | | into a uranium dioxide powder. The powder is |
| navy nuclear reactor fuel and nuclear weapons. | | | | formed into pellets, which then go into fuel rods. |
| This material is called high-enriched uranium (HEU). | | | | The fuel rods are then fabricated into fuel bundles |
| There is currently an excess of such material and | | | | that are inserted into nuclear reactors. Each pellet |
| a downblending pathway now exists which can | | | | of uranium, about the size of an eraser on a fat |
| provide a significant amount of fuel for | | | | pencil, has the incredible energy equivalent of 3 |
| commercial nuclear reactors. Commercial nuclear | | | | cords of wood, or 3 barrels of fuel oil. Nuclear |
| reactors use natural uranium and a variety of | | | | energy is the only technology capable of adding |
| enrichments from natural to 5% U-235, known as | | | | large quantities of reliable base-load electricity to |
| low-enriched uranium (LEU). LEU is typically | | | | the grid without the risks and costs associated |
| produced from the uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas | | | | with greenhouse gas emissions and global |
| processed through the gaseous diffusion plants | | | | warming. |
| that increase the amount of % U-235. The UF6 is | | | | The demand for uranium will continue to increase |
| derived from yellowcake, or uranium oxide | | | | as China, India, and Russia plan to build new |
| purified from the mining process. The | | | | reactors in the next few decades. This is a |
| downblending process produces the same | | | | significant step in nuclear non-proliferation |
| commercial LEU but through a different process, | | | | agreements between world powers. The same |
| from HEU sources instead of natural uranium | | | | approach is being used for plutonium, which |
| sources. | | | | behaves similarly to U-235. Barring any significant |
| Downblending operations are currently underway | | | | recession or depression in these economies, |
| in the United States. HEU is dissolved with nitric | | | | companies that produce or own uranium will |
| acid and then blended with depleted or natural | | | | continue to be recommended for investment |
| uranium to bring the enrichment back down to | | | | purposes. |
| about 5%, resulting in a uranyl nitrate (UNH) LEU | | | | |