yellow cake

Yellowcake is a partially refined uranium ore, typically consisting of uranium compounds ranging from 75 to 95 percent purity. It is an intermediate product in the nuclear fuel cycle, used in the production of nuclear weapons and nuclear fuel. Uranium is extracted from ores with low uranium content, crushed, and then chemically processed. The resulting concentrate is known as yellowcake. This material is then shipped to a chemical plant for further purification and conversion. The principal value of uranium lies in its radioactive and fissionable properties, particularly the isotope uranium-235, which is directly fissionable by neutron irradiation.123