Independent reference library

Uranium, from ore to waste — explained with sources

Clear guides to mining, tailings safety, the nuclear fuel cycle, depleted uranium and radiation, with transparent calculators and a plain-English glossary.

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Start with a topic

Every article cites its sources and ends with FAQs and related reading.

Tailings
Tailings Dam Failures: A Chronology of Major Incidents
A sourced chronology of major tailings dam failures worldwide, from Church Rock and Stava to Brumadinho, with material released and consequences.
Fuel cycle
The Nuclear Fuel Production Chain: From Ore to Fuel Assembly
How uranium ore becomes reactor fuel: milling to U3O8, conversion to UF6, enrichment, pellet and assembly fabrication, with typical mass flows per reactor.
Mines
In-Situ Leach (ISL/ISR) Uranium Mining Explained
How in-situ leach uranium mining works: lixiviant chemistry, wellfields, processing, groundwater restoration, where ISL is used, risks and regulation.
Radiation
Radioactive Properties of Uranium and Its Decay Products
Half-lives, abundance and specific activity of U-238, U-235 and U-234, and the U-238 decay chain through radium, radon and polonium to stable lead-206.
Guides
Uranium Industry Glossary
Glossary of uranium terms: yellowcake, U3O8, UF6, SWU, tails, HEU, LEU, HALEU, ISL, tailings, radium-226, radon, becquerel and sievert, defined concisely.
Guides
Uranium by Country: Producers, Resources and Policy
Profiles of the main uranium producing countries, including Kazakhstan, Canada, Namibia, Australia, Niger, the USA and Brazil, linked to regional pages.

Browse by subject

Seven areas, from the mine to the reactor and the legacy left behind.

Tailings & Dam Failures

Chronologies, case studies and safety principles for mine tailings dams.

Mines & Projects

Operating uranium mines and new projects by region.

Milling, Leaching & Waste

How ore becomes yellowcake, and what is left behind.

Radiation & Health

Radioactivity, dose, toxicity and unit conversions.

Fuel Cycle & Calculators

Conversion, enrichment, fabrication and calculation tools.

Depleted Uranium & Decommissioning

Depleted uranium stocks and the cleanup of nuclear facilities.

Overviews & Guides

Glossary, country profiles, regulation and sources.

Calculators and tools

Each tool shows its formula and uses no hidden data. They run in your browser.

Fuel cycle
Uranium Enrichment and SWU Calculator
Calculate separative work (SWU), feed and tails for any product, tails and feed assay. Formulas, a worked 4.5% example and the limits of the method.
Fuel cycle
Nuclear Fuel Material Balance Calculator
Trace uranium through enrichment: feed, product and tails mass, plus U3O8 and UF6 equivalents. Conversion factors, worked 1 tonne example, assumptions.
Fuel cycle
Uranium Mine Feasibility: Illustrative Cash-Flow Calculator
Illustrative uranium mine cash-flow calculator: how grade, recovery, price, costs and discount rate drive NPV. User-entered assumptions, no project data.
Radiation
Radiation Unit Converter: Bq, Ci, Sv, rem, Gy, rad
SI and legacy radiation units explained with conversion factors: becquerel and curie, gray and rad, sievert and rem, with worked examples and common pitfalls.
Radiation
Estimating Dose from Soil and Building Materials
Estimate annual gamma dose from soil and building materials using K-40, U-238 and Th-232 activity, radium equivalent, occupancy factors and dose rates.

How we work

Written from scratch from primary sources. No unsourced numbers. Updated 2026-11-06.

47reference pages
5working calculators
7topic areas
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