Re: [Way off topic] depleted uranium
On 3 Jan, Ron Johnson wrote:
> [snip]
>> Wrong. Natural uranium is >99% U238, with trace amounts of U235
>> and U235. The latter two species have much higher specific activities,
>> which is why they are useful for reactors/bombs. Depleted uranium is
>> what's left over after the U235 and U234 have been recovered; it is
>
> So the concentration of DU is greater than "greater than 99%"?
>
Average numbers:
Natural uranium (refined metal):
U238 99.27% by mass
U235 0.72%
U234 0.0054%
Depleted uranium:
U238 99.8% by mass
U235 0.2%
U234 0.001%
>> mostly U238. It has 50 - 60% of the alpha activity of natural uranium.
>> In addition, depleted uranium produced in the US has been shown to
>> contain trace levels of more dangerous gamma emitters. If you pick up
>> a shell as a souvenir and place it on your desk, the alpha activity
>> alone is enough to produce skin lesions after 30 - 80 hours of exposure.
>
> Hmmm, interesting. How toxic/hazardous is pitchblende?
>
Uranium concentration in pitchblende ores is 0.1 - 0.2 %
-Chris
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| Christopher Judd, Ph. D. |
| Research Scientist III |
| NYS Dept. of Health judd@wadsworth.org |
| Wadsworth Center - ESP |
| P. O. Box 509 518 486-7829 |
| Albany, NY 12201-0509 |
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