The fuel in a nuclear reactor
The fuel we use consists mainly of uranium but also small proportions of plutonium. Read about the environmental requirements we place on our suppliers, how mining is done and the properties of uranium.
What is uranium?
In a nuclear power plant, enriched uranium is used as fuel, an element that is very common all over the globe.
Important with a good working environment in the mines
As in all mining operations, it is important to have a good working environment in the uranium mines. The mining operations in an uranium mine differ marginally from the operations in other mines.
What is plutonium used for?
In nature, there are small amounts of plutonium that are formed by free neutrons captured by uranium in the same way as in a nuclear reactor. Plutonium has three significant uses; in nuclear fuel, in nuclear charges and in batteries for special purposes.
Transmutation
Transmutation - a complicated process in which a material is irradiated and converted into a substance with a shorter half-life.