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

The NRC regulates these processes, as well as the fabrication of mixed oxide nuclear fuel, which is a combination of uranium and plutonium oxides. For additional detail, see Fuel Cycle Facilities.