Uranium 

is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the

periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the
chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92
electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium has the
highest atomic weight of all naturally occurring elements.

Uranium occurs naturally in low concentrations in soil, rock

and water, and is commercially extracted from uranium-
bearing minerals such as uraninite. Uranium ore can be
mined from open pits or underground excavations. The ore
can then be crushed and treated at a mill to separate the
valuable uranium from the ore. Uranium may also be
dissolved directly from the ore deposits in the ground (in-
situ leaching) and pumped to the surface. Uranium mined
from the earth is stored, handled, and sold as uranium oxide
concentrate (U3O8).

Uranium was discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth, a

German chemist, who isolated an oxide of uranium while
analyzing pitchblende samples from the Joachimsthal silver
mines in the former Kingdom of Bohemia, located in
present-day Czechia. He named his discovery “uran” after
the planet Uranus.

For many years, uranium was used primarily as a colorant

for ceramic glazes and for tinting in early photography. Its
radioactive properties were not recognized until 1866, and
its potential for use as an energy source was not manifested
until the mid-20th century. Uranium is now used to power
commercial nuclear reactors that produce electricity and to
produce isotopes used for medical, industrial, and defense
purposes around the world.