Rössing Uranium’s production of uranium oxide and the nuclear fuel cycle

Uranium is a relatively common element that is found in the earth all over the world, mined in many countries and processed into yellow cake, that is, uranium oxide (U₃O₈). Uranium oxide has to be processed before it can be used as a fuel for a nuclear reactor, where electricity is generated to produce heat and steam in order to drive a turbine connected to a generator.