Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Win Smith who wrote (51057)	10/11/2002 11:01:01 AM
From: Ilaine	Respond to of 281500

Depleted uranium is O.7 times as radioactive as natural uranium. Natural uranium is "slightly" radioactive. Depleted uranium (U-238) is what is left when the highly radioactive isotope (U-235) is removed from natural uranium. >>Natural uranium is a slightly radioactive metal that is present in most rocks and soils as well as in many rivers and sea water. Natural uranium consists primarily of a mixture of two isotopes (forms) of uranium, Uranium-235 (U235) and Uranium-238 (U238), in the proportion of about 0.7 and 99.3 percent, respectively. Nuclear reactors require U235 to produce energy, therefore, the natural uranium has to be enriched to obtain the isotope U235 by removing a large part of the U238. Uranium-238 becomes DU, which is 0.7 times as radioactive as natural uranium. Since DU has a half-life of 4.5 billion years, there is very little decay of those DU materials.<< fas.org Longterm exposure to uranium (e.g., uranium miners) causes a slight increase in the incidences of impaired kidney function, which typically reverses itself when exposure ends. Long term exposure to inhaled uranium (e.g. uranium miners) is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. who.int However, uranium miners are also exposed to radon gas, which is far more dangerous. fas.org >>To date, the scientific and medical research continues to disprove any link between Depleted Uranium and the reported negative health effects.<< nato.int