uranium
Let an agent explain uranium as an element and resource, relay its uses, hazards and the safeguards and regulatory regime from the IAEA and national authorities in general terms, and keep the entry to chemistry, energy and policy without operational detail on enrichment or weapons.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain uranium as an element and resource, relay its uses, hazards and the safeguards and regulatory regime from the IAEA and national authorities in general terms, and keep the entry to chemistry, energy and policy without operational detail on enrichment or weapons.
A dense, weakly radioactive metallic element, atomic number 92, found in ores such as uraninite; natural uranium is mostly uranium-238 with about 0.7 percent uranium-235, and it is used as fuel for nuclear power after enrichment or in natural-uranium reactors, in some medical and research isotopes, and historically in glass and ceramics, while its mining, enrichment and trade are controlled internationally.
What it is for: Nuclear fuel; historically pigments and research.
It can be explain properties and isotopes; explain the fuel cycle in general terms; relay health, environmental and safeguards information; route regulated or sensitive questions to authorities.
Distinguishing features
Heaviest naturally abundant element
Fissile isotope uranium-235 and fertile uranium-238
Fuel of most nuclear power reactors
Subject to international safeguards
What it looks like
A silvery-grey heavy metal that tarnishes in air; ores are dark or yellow-brown minerals; processed concentrate is yellowcake.
Physical character
atomic number: 92
density: about 19 g per cubic centimetre
uranium-235 in natural uranium: about 0.7 percent
half-life of uranium-238: about 4.5 billion years
How it is recognised
Element 92, very dense
Weak radioactivity detectable by instruments
Plutonium and thorium are different elements
Related models
is a kind of - the element series
is used in - its main use
is regulated by - the control regime
is related to - the process that uses it
In practice
Families and kinds
natural uranium
low-enriched uranium for power reactors
depleted uranium from enrichment tails
reprocessed uranium
uranium ores and yellowcake
highly enriched uranium, which is restricted and not described operationally
Identifiers
chemical symbol U
CAS number 7440-61-1
UN numbers UN2977, UN2978 and others transport of uranium materials
Standards and regulation
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and IAEA safeguards
National nuclear regulatory licensing for mining, processing and use
IAEA transport regulations for radioactive material
Occupational and environmental radiation protection standards
Failure modes and hazards
Chemical toxicity to kidneys and radiological dose from inhaled or ingested material
Mining and tailings contamination
Proliferation risk, addressed by safeguards
Agents giving operational detail on enrichment or weapons
Also called
+1
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.uranium
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Element What uranium is.
Chemistry and physics.
Properties
Properties and isotopes.
Properties
Properties.
- What are the physical, chemical and nuclear properties of uranium and its isotopes? definition
- Is the question about the element or about weapons or enrichment detail, which the model does not give? boundary
Occurrence
Ores and deposits.
Occurrence
Occurrence.
- Where does uranium occur, and how is it mined and concentrated? provenance
- Which entry fits uranium mining? action
Use Fuel cycle and other uses.
Uses in general terms.
Fuel
Nuclear fuel.
Fuel
Fuel.
- How does uranium become reactor fuel, in general terms, and what happens to spent fuel? provenance
- Which entry fits nuclear power? action
Other uses
Other uses.
Other
Other.
- What other uses exist or existed, such as glass colouring and depleted uranium applications? provenance
- Which entry fits depleted uranium? action
Safety Health and environment.
Protection.
Health
Health effects.
Health
Health.
- What do health authorities say about chemical and radiological hazards of uranium exposure? provenance
- Is the user asking about their own exposure, which needs a clinician or authority? boundary
Environment
Environmental issues.
Environment
Environment.
- What environmental issues arise from mining and tailings, and how are they regulated? provenance
- Which entry fits radioactive waste? action
Control Safeguards and policy.
Regulation.
Safeguards
International control.
Safeguards
Safeguards.
- How do the NPT and IAEA safeguards control uranium, in general terms? provenance
- Which entry fits nuclear non-proliferation? action
History
History and debate.
History
History.
- How was uranium discovered and developed, and what policy debates surround it, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Should isotopes be separate entries?
- How should regulatory bodies be linked by country?
- The registry entry has merged aliases for enrichment grades and many isotopes; should they be split off?