Uranium Processing

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Uranium occurs in a mixture of ores around the world. Subsequent to mining, uranium is concentrated as an oxide (U₃O₈) with a yellowish color, called "yellowcake."

The enrichment process used in the United States absorbs combining the uranium with fluorine to make uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) followed by gaseous diffusion. The UF₆ output from gaseous diffusion comes in two streams - one is increased, or enriched, in its percentage of U-235, and the other is condensed, or depleted, in its percentage of U-235. The depleted uranium hexafluoride product is referred to as "depleted UF₆." After gaseous diffusion, the enrich uranium hexafluoride is subjected to further processing, while the depleted UF₆ is normally stored.