Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element. After refining, uranium is a silvery-white metal that is a nuclear fuel as it is an abundant source of concentrated energy. Uranium occurs in most rocks in concentrations of two to four parts per million and is as common as tin, tungsten, and molybdenum.
In a nuclear power station, the fissioning of uranium atoms replaces burning fossil fuels like coal or gas. The heat created by splitting U-235 atoms creates steam which spins turbines that drive a generator to produce electricity.
The mining process extracts uranium ore from