Uranium - Commodity Overview

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Recovery, Remediation and other Mining-Related Technology

Date posted: 11/21/14

Uranium was discovered by Martin Klaproth in 1789. He named this new found discovery after Uranus, in honor of the discovery in 1781. Uranium primary use dates back to 79 CE where it was used to add the color yellow to ceramic glazes. During the Middle Ages, pitchblende (uranium oxide) was mined from the Habsburg silver mines in the Czech Republic and was used to color glass. Uranium glassware, also called Vaseline glass, was commercially manufactured starting in the mid-19th century and was very popular through the 1920s. Quality Victorian era and pre-war uranium glass pieces are highly collectible. It was not until a 100 years after being discovered, that its radioactive properties were discovered. Uranium has three radioactive variants, or isotopes. In nature, U-238 is the most abundant isotope and is not fissile - it does not produce a chain reaction. The uranium-235 isotope can create a chain reaction and research into U-235 fission reactors gave birth to the development of nuclear weapons. U-235 was eventually replaced by plutonium-239 for weapons use, but U-235 is still used in nuclear reactors. Uranium is not only important for current energy demands but it is believed to be an important component of the Earth core engine. As uranium decays it generates heat deep within the earth mantle, this heat creates convection much like an oven, where heat rises to the surface and relatively cooler magma sinks towards the core, this motion helps drive plate tectonics. The most important uranium ore mineral is uraninite -UO2, also known as pitchblende, processed it is called yellowcake -U3O8. Other important ore minerals include coffinite - uranium silicate, brannerite -uranium titanium oxide, thucolite and davidite. There are many types of uranium deposits, but the most economic form in large sedimentary basins. Globally the largest uranium deposits are found in Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada and Russia, and other new areas.