yellowcake

American  

[yel-oh-keyk] / ˈjɛl oʊˌkeɪk /

Or yellow cake

noun

1. a processed oxide of uranium, U 3 O 8 , extracted and concentrated from uranium ore: used as the raw material for commercial nuclear materials, especially fuel elements in nuclear reactors.

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Etymology

Origin of yellowcake

First recorded in 1945–50; yellow + cake

Example Sentences

Once mined, uranium is milled to produce what is called calcined yellowcake, and then enriched, either at facilities in Canada or overseas, to create fuel for nuclear reactors.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2024

Here, two roads diverge: you can either create highly-enriched weapons-grade yellowcake, or low-enrichment yellowcake for nuclear reactor fuel.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2024

That yellowcake is turned into a gas, which is enriched with the isotope U-235.

From The Verge • Aug. 9, 2022

The second is separating the ore from waste rock, or tailings, and concentrating it into so-called yellowcake, which is sold.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2018

A solution containing uranium is then pumped to the surface and processed into yellowcake, which can be processed further into nuclear fuel.

From Seattle Times • May 4, 2017