How is uranium enriched?
The technology used to enrich uranium to make fuel for nuclear power stations is the same as that needed to create nuclear weapons. Once uranium is extracted from the ground it is milled and chemically processed to create yellowcake, a concentrated uranium oxide. This is then converted into uranium hexafluoride, a toxic gas, before being used in the next stage of the enrichment process. There are two main methods for enriching uranium – gaseous diffusion or gas centrifuge. In the US a third method has been proposed, called laser enrichment. Gas centrifuge A gas centrifuge works by separating U-235 from U-238, a denser isotope making up the majority of the element, by spinning uranium hexafluoride gas in a cylindrical chamber at supersonic speeds. Enriched U-235 is then removed and put through the same process many times to raise its concentration. Around 1,500 centrifuges running non-stop for months would be needed to make 20kg of highly-enriched uranium needed for one crude warhead. G
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