Hossein Faghihian, deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran in charge of nuclear fuel, said the Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant would open before the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which is March 20, 2009.
The plant will process ore extracted from uranium mines into uranium ore concentrate, known as yellowcake.
In the next stage, at the Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan, central Iran, the yellowcake is processed into uranium hexaflouride, a gas that is the feedstock for enriching uranium. The gas is taken to the Uranium Enrichment Plant in Natanz, where it is injected into centrifuges for enrichment.
But since enrichment can make Uranium for peaceful purposes as well as weapons, I'm sure we can all sleep well at night believing that Iran is spending massive sums of money and enduring international condemnation and sanctions all for the sake of producing safe and clean nuclear energy!
Have a nice freaking day.
