Triex Minerals Corporation - Glossary of Terms

Stock Info Share Structure Technical Reports Media Coverage Related Web Sites Glossary of Terms Industry Talks

Glossary of Definitions

Coffinite: A black radioactive mineral and an important ore of uranium

Enriched Uranium: The enormous energy potential of natural uranium is due to the presence of the isotope uranium 235 (U-235). This isotope comprises approximately 0.711% by weight of naturally occurring uranium. Mining, milling and conversion stages of the nuclear fuel cycle does not alter the naturally occurring isotopic proportions of 0.711% U-235, 99.285% U-238 and 0.006% U-334. Enrichment is the process of upgrading the percentage of U-235 isotopes in natural uranium to at least 90% for weapons purposes, but defined as anything over 20% for regulatory and safeguard purposes.

Gamma Radiation: High energy, short wavelength radiation emitted fro the nuclei of certain uranium isotopes.

Kilowatt-hour: Dissipation of 1,000 watts of power per hour. One unit on a domestic electricity meter represents about 1kWh.

Natural Uranium: Uranium with the isotopic concentrations found in nature, ie 99.3% uranium-238 and 0.7% uranium-235. The heaviest naturally occurring element -- atomic number 92.

Non-renewable energy: Any natural resource that can not be replenished in a short period of time. Nonrenewable energy sources come out of the ground as liquids, gases and solids. Sources include the fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas, which together provide over 80% of our energy today, plus uranium.

Pitchblende: An informal name used for amorphous, or non-crystalline varieties of uraninite (U02). It is named for its massive appearance and black or brown colour. It typically contains negligible amounts of thorium and rare earth elements. The most common ore texture is as finely disseminated grains; habits evident in larger masses include botyroidal, banded and colloform.

Radiometric: Using radiation (the spontaneous disintegration of some atomic nuclei with emission of energy in the form of radiation) for detection. In radioactive disintegration, ionized helium atoms ( particles), electrons ( particles) or gamma rays ( particles) can be emitted

Regolith: A general term for the layer of fragmental and unconsolidated rock material overlying bedrock. A type of Paleosol: a buried soil of horizon of the geological past.
Renewable energy: Any natural resource that can replenish itself naturally over time. Sources include solar, wind and wave energy, biomass (wood or crops such as sugar), geothermal energy and hydro power.

Spot Market Price: Price for product sold or purchased in the spot market rather than under long-term contract. The spot market involves the buying and selling of uranium products for delivery within one year.

Unconformity: A substantial break or gap in the geologic record where a rock unit is overlain by another that is not next in stratigraphic succession. This break results from a change in deposition due to uplift or erosion (a time gap) with a loss of the previously formed record or due to a structural discordance.

Uraninite: A black, brown or steely grey highly radioactive mineral. Usually occurs in oxidized state varying from UO2 to U3O8. Uraninite is the chief ore of uranium.

UO2: Uranium dioxide. Converted from UO3 for manufacture of pellets to make fuel for Candu reactors.

UO3/UF6: Uranium trioxide and Uranium hexafluoride. Intermediate products used as feed to produce UO2.

U3O8: Triuranium octoxide. The oxidized uranium product in which uranium is commonly transported and traded, also known as "yellowcake".

Yellowcake: Refined chemical compound of uranium from milling of ore; the form in which uranium is usually shipped from the mine to the nuclear fuel manufacturer containing between 75% and 98% U3O8.