How is Uranium Produced

Before uranium can be used as a fuel in a nuclear reactor it must be mined and processed. Uranium ore is extracted from the ground using common open-pit or sophisticated underground mining techniques. Once the ore is excavated, the uranium is extracted or separated from the rock using a chemical process. 

After extraction, the uranium is further processed and crushed into powder or yellowcake. The final product is uranium oxide concentrate (U₃O₈). This is the form in which uranium is sold. It then undergoes additional treatment or enrichment to be used as fuel in nuclear reactors.