URANINITE

What is it and where is it formed? Uraninite is the ore that uranium comes from. Uranium can be found in most rocks but uraninite has the most. It forms in igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is radioactive. Uraninite is weathered and eroded over time. Wind and rain move it from place to place. It usually ends up in bodies of water like lakes and streams where it settles on the bottom and forms into rock. Uranium is not found by itself in nature. How and where is it mined? Uraninite is mined using hard rock, open-pit mining, or placer mining. Radon gas is produced when uranium is mined. If it is underground mining, it can be very dangerous unless the mine is well ventilated. If you breathe in a lot of radon gas, you can get lung cancer.

Uranium Ore H169 July 2002, Plano Tx Web Edition, Ronald Hampton Collection [Collin County Community College--Paul E. Bellah

Most uranium ore is mined by using a hot liquid or a chemical to take it out of its ore. After that, it goes through more chemical steps until it is in the form that the buyer needs it to be. For example, when they take it out of its ore, uranium is treated with chemicals and gases until it’s ready to use as nuclear fuel. Then it’s sold as that. It is usually made into uranium dioxide or any chemical form that can be used in industry. Uraninite is mined in France, England, the Belgian Congo, Germany, Zaire, Canada, and the United States [North Carolina, Washington]. What is it used for? It has a small amount of radioactivity which is why it is used in: nuclear Navy ships and submarines, weapons, nuclear reactors in power plants, atomic bombs. It is also used on the outsides of army tanks, bullets, and missiles. Uranium is used in ceramic glazes, fertilizers, or chemicals used in photography. Interesting! Sometimes uranium is found in a vanadium-uranium ore mixture. During World War II, the United States was making the first atomic bomb. They wanted to keep the uranium a secret so they bought vanadium for the project. They were really buying the vanadium for the uranium it had in it. The miners weren’t paid very much for vanadium and after the war, the miners sued the government for the cost of the uranium that they mined. Many won the money.

Mineral Characteristic What the mineralogists say Kid's Guide: What it REALLY means! Chemical Symbol UO2 Uraninite has uranium and oxygen in it. Color Black with a little brown. The ore is black with a little brown in it. Uranium itself is silvery white when it is taken out of the ore. Streak Brownish black If you grind this into a powder, it will make a brownish black dust. Transparency Opaque You can’t see through it. Luster Little metallic to dull If you shine a light on it, it might look a little dull or have a tiny shine to it. Cleavage Rarely seen If you hit it with a hammer, it will not break evenly. Fracture Conchoidal When it shatters, the pieces have smooth edges. Magnetism Weakly magnetic It will only be attracted to a magnet a little bit. Hardness 6 It is softer than steel and can be scratched by a steel file. Specific gravity 18.95 It is very heavy. Crystal Shape Cubic