Enrichment
Enrichment is the process of concentrating or increasing the amount of the U-235 isotope, compared with the U-238 isotope. The process is complex and expensive.
After the uranium is mined, separated from the ore and converted into the gas, hexafluoride, it needs to be enriched. Uranium contains only 0.7% of the fissile isotope U-235.
The hexaflouride gas contains both the isotopes U-235 and U-238 in the ratio of 0.7 to 99.3. The enrichment process increases the concentration of U-235 to about 3.5% or slightly more.
The next step is fuel fabrication.
Greater technical detail can be found on this topic by searching through the listed briefing papers and education resources at www.uic.com.au.
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