Who is Wise Uranium?
The nuclear chain begins with uranium mining, a polluting activity that devastates large areas. Uranium ore sometimes contains as little as 500 grams recoverable uranium per 1000 kilograms of earth. So, enormous amounts of rock have to be dug up, crushed and chemically processed to extract the uranium. The remaining wastes, which still contain large amounts of radioactivity, remain at the mines. These "tailings" are often stored in a very poor condition, resulting in the contamination of surface- and groundwater.
The uranium must be "enriched" before it can be used in most reactor types. In this part of the chain the proportion of the fissionable part of uranium (uranium-235) is increased. There are about five different technologies to enrich uranium of which diffusion and ultracentrifuge technology are mostly used. In the past, enrichment technology has been stolen by espionage for clandestine nuclear weapons programs (Pakistan).
The WISE Uranium Project is specialized in health and environmental issues of uranium mining and enrichment. On its website extensive information can be found on mines and mining companies, radiation issues, waste tailing dams, enrichment issues, depleted uranium, etc. The website contains regular news updates on mining and related issues from worldwide.
Peter Diehl
Am Schwedenteich 4
01477 Arnsdorf
Germany