Greenpeace claims to deliver Yellowcake (Uranium) to US officials in Iraq

[RADAR1797]

Interesting story.

-RADAR

I hope that story isn't true.

We need to get that place cleaned up

[Knothead]

**knothead doesn't know whether to scratch his wristwatch, or wind his head**

This "Yellowcake"...from what I read, is not weapons-grade Plutonium, but has enough radioactivity to poison a village...

And the Greenpeace people have found it, in Iraq, and our U.S. people didn't find it, and...

Good God! What in the hell is going on over there??

My overriding thought is, "Yes. Maybe it's a good thing we're over there in that miserable country, because maybe these jerks need to be BABY-SAT!!

Believe me, I do not subscribe to a "paternalistic" view of other nations, ( I tend to believe in the responsibity of their own leaders, and their own hegemony) but....cheeez, the takes the "cake"....

What on earth is up with these guys....dang it, I'm about to go Republican. God help me.

[RADAR1797]

Knot,

Your reaction is not unwarranted. Yellowcake is a precursor to weapons grade uranium. Theo might be able to fill in some info.

-RADAR

[Knothead]

Originally posted by RADAR1797
Knot,

Your reaction is not unwarranted. Yellowcake is a precursor to weapons grade uranium. Theo might be able to fill in some info.

-RADAR

Is that so? Are you sure of this, Radar?

I mean, please understand, I don't know, and I'd hate to go off on a tear about this....

But, once again, the very fact that these guys would be so IRRESPONSIBLE as to leave such potent radiactive waste where it could damge their fellow countrymen, well, that's the only point I can make, here.

Good heavens. What freakin' SAVAGES!! This exceeds my own limited comprehension of this region. Good God almighty!

[willy_ph]

The radioactivity emitted from yellowcake (U3O8) is really slim and not very strong at all. In fact a cotton glove is enough to stop the radioactive alpha waves emitted from it. I've even held the yellowcake powder and finished nuclear pellets, ready for use in nuclear reactors, in my hand.

radioactivity in a series of houses, including one source measuring 10,000 times above normal.

This clearly isn't the result of yellowcake. Something much stronger must be present to create radioactivity levels that high. Yellowcake alone cannot accomplish that.

But, once again, the very fact that these guys would be so IRRESPONSIBLE as to leave such potent radiactive waste where it could damge their fellow countrymen

Relax Knothead, yellowcake isn't that dangerous. If it was, it would be shipped in containers much stronger than a mere metal barrel, similar to an oil container.

Yellowcake is a precursor to weapons grade uranium

Technically, yellowcake could be used to make weapons grade uranium. However, there is a process of enrichment and additional refinement that must take place to obtain weapons grade uranium. Weapons grade uranium requires a high concentration of U-235 atoms. In natural uranium, and yellowcake, these atoms make up ~0.7%, while 99.3% is the unusable U-238 atoms. As a result, they must obtain a higher concentration of U-235 atoms. This is usually accomplished via gaseous diffusion or via a gas centrifuge.

[willy_ph]

In fact, it is easier to produce nuclear fuel used in heavy water reactors (Candu reactors) from yellowcake, than it is to make nuclear weapons.

BTW, did I mention that Greenpeace ought to lay off the panic button? Come on, yellowcake is no more dangerous than the low-level radioactive waste that is all over my town...even in my backyard. Greenpeace, if people were actually educated about nuclear materials they'd be calling your bluff. Also, when are you coming to check out my town and raise a big huff about the contamination? Oh, that's right, you could care less.

http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/uranium.htm

I still don't want yellowcake lying about their countryside.

[OuTpaTienT]

Originally posted by willy_ph
...that's right, you could care less.

It's couldn't care less. Sorry, pet peeve.

All this talk of cake has got me hungry.

[Atomic Rooster]

Did somebody say cake? Yummy!