Iran uses biotech to make Uranium mining breakthough.

Iran has found a way to make yellowcake extraction 100 to 200 times cheaper by using biotechnology.

physorg

To make yellowcake, first uranium ore must be mined, then milled and processed in acid. But often mined ore is of a very low concentration and extraction involves expensive and hazardous processes such as roasting and smelting.

Using biotechnology -- or a technique known as "bioleaching" -- a bacteria introduced to the ore, eats on iron sulphur and produces sulphuric acid which in turn dissolves the ore and separates the uranium.

This then makes yellowcake production easier.

That's really interesting.
I wonder if this process is used in any other mining projects.

[edit on 29-8-2005 by AceOfBase]