"Uranium is a weakly radioactive metal that is found in many parts of the world in low concentrations. It emits alpha, beta, and gamma particles that can be cancer-causing if exposure is intense and long-lasting enough. At weaker concentrations, it is used for nuclear medicine and other research purposes. The half-life of uranium is extremely long, ranging from 159,200 to 4.5 billion years, depending on the isotope. This makes it useful for dating the age of geologic strata and estimating the age of the Earth."
"When it is processed and enriched, uranium can sustain a fission chain reaction, releasing tremendous amounts of energy. This is the main energy source used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It takes as little as 15 lbs. of uranium to make an atomic bomb. Uranium is often processed into plutonium first, as this is a more efficient way to get to the high radiation levels necessary for these applications."
Uranium occurs on every continent, with the largest deposits in Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada, and Russia, and likely undiscovered deposits under permafrost that may become recoverable as the planet warms. Uranium is a weakly radioactive metal emitting alpha, beta, and gamma particles and has isotopic half-lives from 159,200 to 4.5 billion years. Processed and enriched uranium sustains fission, powering nuclear reactors and enabling nuclear weapons. Prices rose from an average of $48.99 per pound in 2023 to $77.50 by December 2024. Uranium poses heavy-metal and radiological hazards, causing kidney damage, cancers, reproductive problems, and mining can release radioactive dust and radon.
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