Before uranium can be used in nuclear reactors, it must be mined from the ground. This process is almost identical to the process of mining coal and is mined from the same regions as coal from sandstone. After the mining process the gathered uranium consists …show more content…
When searching for nuclear energy’s only element, uranium, it is quite easy to find due to the element’s radioactivity signature. Once found the mining process is almost parallel to that of coal, starting with the open pit method and so forth. The only difference between mining for coal and mining for uranium is uranium is radioactive. How with special safety precautions this can easily be an insignificant issue, both for the workers on site and anyone around the mining site as well. As for critical pollutants, nuclear energy produces only two wastes, water vapor and radioactive waste, neither of which pollute the air when produced. However, radioactive waste can be a major concern for many one should look at the facts before throwing nuclear energy out of the