La version courte
Uranium's chain is short in tonnage and long in regulation. Conversion and enrichment exist at only a handful of sites worldwide, and every step is subject to international safeguards.
Le maillon le plus étroit. Conversion and enrichment, not mining, are the bottleneck. Both are tightly held and dual-use.
DepositUnconformity or sandstone-hosted uranium
Uranium
MineCigar Lake or in-situ recovery
Cigar Lake
ProcessingYellowcake
Uranium
RefiningConversion and enrichment
Georges Besse II…
ComponentFuel assembly
Zirconium
End marketReactor
Nuclear Power
Étape par étape
01Deposit
Unconformity or sandstone-hosted uranium
The richest deposits sit where oxidised groundwater carrying dissolved uranium met reducing conditions and dropped its load.
02Mine
Cigar Lake or in-situ recovery
High-grade ore is cut remotely through frozen ground; low-grade sandstone ore is dissolved in place and pumped to the surface.
Remarque: In-situ recovery moves no rock at all.
03Processing
04Refining
Conversion and enrichment
U3O8 becomes uranium hexafluoride, then centrifuges raise uranium-235 from 0.7% to 3-5%.
Remarque: Enrichment needs fluorine — which comes from fluorspar.
05Component
Fuel assembly
Enriched uranium is pressed into ceramic pellets and sealed in zirconium alloy tubes.
06End market
