By Prof. Monish Gunawardana, International University of Management, Namibia We use fossil fuel like petrol or diesel, to run cars or airplanes. But nuclear-based power generators, floating nuclear power units and plants are powered by nuclear fuel. The nuclear fuel ge-nerates heat in the reactor just as a coal generates heat in the boiler. The heat is used to boil water and makes steam that turns turbine blades. Today we are discussing Uranium, which is regarded as the ‘Next Generation Fuel’ that will help humankind to survive and prosper. Atomic Energy Everything in the world is made up of atoms. The centre of the atom is called the Nucleus, which consists of Protons and Neutrons. Electrons rotate around the nucleus. To release energy, it is necessary to split atoms. There are two methods to release energy from atoms: Fission (splitting) and Fusion (adding together). The atom’s energy resides in its centre (nucleus). Here we discuss the splitting process that is relevant to our current power needs. There are 90 kinds of atoms, with different chemical elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, gold and uranium. If one kilogram of Uranium (U-235) were split, that would generate energy equivalent to 7 million tonnes of coal. When the centre of the Uranium atom is split by a neutron, a vast amount of energy, about 190MeV (millions of electron-volts: the unit of energy used in nuclear physics) will be released. Uranium 235 Uranium is a natural element like gold, copper. It is (U-235) used to split atoms. Some uranium deposits are mined from shallow-open-pit mines but 55% of the world production comes from underground mines. The average quantity of uranium in the earth’s crust is around 4 grams per ton of rocks. The mined uranium should undergo chemical and mechanical purification processes before it is sent to the refinery. Moreover, uranium is roasted to remove excess water and that crude uranium concentration is called ‘Yellow Cake’ or ‘Uranium Oxide Concentrate’ (U308). Yellow cake can be sold/exported to uranium refineries. The RÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶ssing Uranium Mine in Namibia exports 4000 metric tonnes of Yellow Cake a year to foreign refineries that make nuclear fuel. The Springfield Works in the United Kingdom is the largest nuclear fuel refinery in the world. Enriched Fuel Uranium must be very pure to be used as a fuel for the reactor. The impurities in the natural uranium disturb the energy-releasing process of reactors. Uranium is processed in the form of Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6). The enrichment process cleans the impurities from the natural uranium. Enrichment is the cause of action that increases the quantity of Uranium-235. Nuclear reactor-grade uranium (U-235) is usually enriched to about 3.5%. And, this is the nuclear-fuel, which generates energy in nuclear power plants. However, nuclear weapons-grade uranium is enriched more than 95% of uranium-235. Uranium fuel is formed into ceramic balls (pellets) about the size of your fingertip. One uranium pallet generates the energy equivalent of 378 litres of diesel. These pellets are stacked in 3-meter metal rods. A bundle of these nuclear-fuel rods is called a ‘Fuel Assembly’. Spent Fuel The ‘used fuel collection’ removed from a nuclear plant after several years of use is called Spent Fuel. Nuclear plants generate vast amounts of spent fuel during their operation. For instance, the Windscale Reprocessing Plant in the United Kingdom makes 2000 tons of spent fuel annually. Except for possible reprocessing, this fuel must be stored permanently in a robust repository. It bears harmful radioactive elements and therefore is regarded as High Level Waste (HLW). All countries operating nuclear power plants, should comply with the procedures for storing and managing HLWs. Spent fuel from reactors is transferred to huge water filled pools where it is stored in shelves under water. Otherwise, spent fuel is packed in multi-layered ceramic storage and steel containers and buried in deep and stable geological formations to prevent radiation. Uranium Mining In 2006, there were 442 nuclear power plants in the world. Moreover, the demand for uranium has accelerated due to the increasing prices and diminishing supply of oil and natural gas. Since 2001, the price of 1 kilogram of uranium (yellow cake) has increased in the following manner. 2001 -US$ = 16.31 2003 -US$ = 20.25 2005 -US$ = 81.56 2007 -US$ = 141 ? Around 52% of the world’s production of uranium comes from Australia and Canada. African countries (Niger, Namibia, South Africa) produce 17%. Eventually, with the 5000 metric tons output of the two operating mines and more mines in coming years, Namibia will become the world’s largest producer of uranium yellow cake. Namibian Mines Namibia’s two mines (RÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶ssing and Langer Heinrich) produce 5000 metric tons of yellow cake per year. The Trekkopje, Valencia, Husab and Tubas mines will start production in 2008. The Rio Tinto Company is the major shareholder of the RÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶ssing Uranium mine – the world’s largest open-pit uranium mine. Rossing produced 3711 metric tons of yellow cake in 2005. The turnover of RÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶ssing Mine in 2005 was N$926 million. The Rio Tinto Australian company owns 69% of the shares of the RÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¶ssing Mining Company. The Government of Namibia holds 3% of the shares. In addition, local individuals own another 3% of shares. Hidden Wealth Namibian mines produce Uranium Dioxide Yellow Cake for export. Uranium Yellow Cake is similar to crude oil extracted from oil wells. Therefore, Yellow Cake, as a raw material needs to be refined to produce nuclear fuel. Refineries in the United Kingdom, USA, France, Russia and Japan use Yellow Cake to make very expensive nuclear fuel. The world’s largest uranium producers like Australia and Namibia don’t have refineries to produce nuclear fuel that can inject enormous wealth into their economies. As John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia, once quipped: “Australia could quadruple its 2005 revenue if uranium is enriched and fabricated into fuel first” (The Economist. 25 November 2005. Page 65). Namibia is a democratic country with strong socio-political stability and it has signed the IAEA’s Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). We have massive deposits of uranium. Now let us plan to establish a uranium reprocessing plant. For instance, Kazakhstan, the world’s third largest uranium producing country producing 4357 tons in 2005, has recently signed an agreement with Russia to establish a Nuclear-Fuel Enrichment plant (wwwuxc.com). Now uranium fuel is becoming expensive. This country is sitting on an unexploited mountain of wealth. Namibia could become a major nuclear fuel producer in the world. Developing nations such as Namibia should use their strategic natural resources to become an economic super-power by 2030.