milling
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The milling process of uranium mining involved pulverizing and crushing the rock into very small fragments of rock, then adding water to create a slurry. According to Miriam Websters Dictionary, a slurry is a semi-liquid mixture, typically of fine particles of manure, cement, coal, or water. Then, the slurry is mixed with sulfuric acid or another solution to release the uranium from the host rock. (A host rock is a rock in which depositing of metals or other minerals occur). From the solution or acid, uranium oxide is precipitated. (Mind you, this still isn't in its purest form, and the uranium then must be sent to another plant to make it enriched).
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
- This method only works to take our uranium from conventionally mined ores.
- Modern mills have more strict laws governing the operation than old mills; which makes it safer
Cons:
- Tailings (the residue) are exposed to the environment and any uranium that remains can be released into the air causing radiation
- It is very expensive to set up
- It has the potential for severe damage to local groundwaters