Fuel cycle
The series of steps involved in supplying fuel for nuclear power reactors include the following:
- Uranium recovery to extract (or mine) uranium ore, and concentrate (or mill) the ore to produce "yellowcake"
- Conversion of yellowcake into uranium hexafluoride (UF6)
- Enrichment to increase the concentration of uranium-235 (U-235) 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 enriched UF6 into fuel for nuclear reactors
- Use of the fuel in reactors (nuclear power, research, or naval propulsion)
- Interim storage of spent nuclear fuel
- Reprocessing of high-level waste to recover the fissionable material remaining in the spent fuel (currently not done in the United States)
- Final disposition (disposal) of high-level waste
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, December 10, 2012