The
Nuclear Fuel ChainThe
Nuclear Fuel ChainThe diagram below shows the links from Uranium mining through to Decommissioning and the legacy of nuclear waste. Click on any of the 11 main images to take you to the relevant section of the written description of the nuclear fuel chain, or go to the introduction to these topics.
All stages of the complex nuclear fuel chain consume energy, but just the two major ones are indicated; some have significant direct CO2 outputs due to their use of diesel fuel. Inputs of other resources, such as the materials to build all these things, are not shown.
(Note: the diagram may not display properly if your browser is set to large text, or styles are switched off.)
CO2
 |
radium & radon  |
THE
NUCLEAR FUEL CHAIN |
fallout |
||
 URANIUM MINING |
 water contamination |
Waste heat | CO2 |  NUCLEAR TESTS |
|
| transport |
CO2 Energy   |
emissions & accidents 
|
hotspots
|
discharges & accidents |
plutonium |
 FUEL ENRICHMENT |
 FUEL FABRICATION |
 NUCLEAR POWER |
 NUCLEAR TRAINS |
 REPROCESSING |
 NUCLEAR WEAPONS |
| depleted uranium |
 discharges & waste |
 |
 accidents |
||
 ARMAMENTS |
 |
 |
 DECOMMISSIONING |
 CO2 |
|
| fragmentation |
 accidents |
NUCLEAR WASTE DUMPS |
leakage |
radioactive scrap metal |
updated: 20-Mar-08