How Enriched URANIUM is MADE☢️ | How URANIUM is EXTRACTED FROM MINES | From Mine to Reactor

Summary

This video explores the process of extracting and refining uranium, focusing on its use as fuel in nuclear reactors. It highlights the world's largest uranium deposit in Canada, detailing mining, drilling, and freezing techniques used to safely extract uranium ore. The video explains how the ore is processed, purified, and enriched into uranium-235, used for nuclear energy. It also covers the conversion of uranium into nuclear fuel rods, their role in energy production, and the precautions taken to prevent nuclear meltdowns. The video concludes with the storage of spent fuel rods.

Takeaways

• ⚛️ Uranium fuel bundles can produce enough heat to generate 1 million kilowatt hours of electricity.
• 🌍 Uranium is extracted from high-quality deposits, such as those found in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, which holds some of the richest uranium deposits in the world.
• 🔨 To extract uranium, drills penetrate through sandstone layers and freeze the surrounding area to stabilize the soil and prevent groundwater interference during mining.
• ⛏️ The mining process uses remote-controlled systems to protect workers from radioactive exposure and rockfall hazards.
• 🧪 After extraction, uranium ore is processed by crushing and milling, then converted into a slurry that is transported to processing plants for further treatment.
• 💡 Uranium is purified through a series of chemical reactions and then heated to convert uranium 235, the isotope needed for nuclear fission, into gas for enrichment.
• 🔄 Uranium 235 is separated from other isotopes using centrifuges and eventually concentrated into a black powder.
• 🚛 The enriched uranium is processed into uranium dioxide, pressed into small pellets, and assembled into zirconium tubes to create nuclear fuel rods.
• 🔥 A single uranium pellet can generate the same amount of energy as 800 kg of coal, making nuclear fuel highly efficient.
• 💧 After a year in the reactor, spent fuel rods must be stored in cooling pools for 10 years to allow them to safely cool and reduce radioactivity before disposal.

Q & A

What is the primary use of uranium extracted from mines?

The primary use of uranium extracted from mines is as fuel for nuclear reactors to generate electricity.

How deep is the uranium deposit at the mine in Northern Saskatchewan?

The uranium deposit at the mine in Northern Saskatchewan is located 500 meters underground.

What is the significance of freezing the ground around the uranium deposit?

Freezing the ground stabilizes the soil and turns high-pressure groundwater into ice, preventing it from interfering with mining operations.

How does the scanner determine the quality of the uranium ore?

The scanner measures the amount of radioactivity in the ore, allowing it to determine the uranium content, which can be around 15% to 18%, considered very high-quality.

What is the process used to separate uranium isotopes for enrichment?

Centrifugal forces in centrifuges are used to separate uranium isotopes, with the lighter uranium-235 concentrating more in the center, allowing for its separation from uranium-238.

What is the chemical form of uranium after it is purified and before it becomes nuclear fuel?

After purification, uranium is first converted into uranium trioxide (a yellow powder) and then into uranium dioxide (a fine black powder) before it is processed into nuclear fuel.

How much energy can a uranium pellet generate compared to other energy sources?

A uranium pellet the size of a peanut can generate the same amount of energy as 800 kg of coal or 560 liters of oil.

What material are the fuel rods made of, and why is it used?

Fuel rods are made of zirconium because it is highly resistant to heat and corrosion, and neutrons can pass freely through it during the fission reaction.

What happens during a nuclear fission reaction in the reactor core?

In nuclear fission, uranium atoms are split, releasing energy and neutrons, which collide with other uranium atoms to continue the chain reaction. This process releases large amounts of heat.

Why must spent nuclear fuel rods be stored in water for 10 years after use?

Spent fuel rods are extremely hot and radioactive. They must be stored in water for 10 years to cool down and allow the radioactivity to dissipate before they can be safely disposed of.