Our Technology
Nuclear energy, made at home
Strengthening US leadership through safe, affordable, scalable domestic enrichment.
Enrichment, made in America
Nuclear fuel production relies on five steps, taking uranium ore to finished fuel. American fuel production has a commercial bottleneck in the middle step, enrichment.
We are addressing this bottleneck through a novel, scalable, cost-competitive technology. By reducing the cost of enrichment we will reduce the cost of nuclear energy.
1Mining & Milling
Uranium ore is extracted through conventional mining and milling or through modern in-situ recover (ISR). A uranium powder called yellowcake (U₃O₈) is produced.
2Conversion
Yellowcake is converted from a solid powder into uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) gas by using a chemical reaction. In gas form, the different forms of uranium are more easily isolated.
3Enrichment
Uranium hexafluoride molecules are separated based on the uranium isotope present. This refining process is used to increase the concentration of U-235 from it’s natural state (0.7%) to be useful for nuclear energy as LEU (3-5%), LEU+ (5-10%) or HALEU (10-20%). General Matter performs only this enrichment step.
4Deconversion
- Uranium hexafluoride gas is converted back into a solid using a chemical reaction, preparing it to be formed into fuel pellets.
5Fabrication
- Enriched uranium is formed into small, solid cylinders or pellets based on the reactor the fuel is being used in.
