Fact check: Can 60% enriched uranium be easily blended down for use in a nuclear power reactor?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, 60% enriched uranium can technically be blended down for use in nuclear power reactors, but the process is not "easy" and requires specialized facilities and expertise.

The sources reveal that while blending down highly enriched uranium (HEU) is technically feasible, it involves complex procedures. One source specifically mentions a method for dry blending of highly enriched uranium with natural or depleted uranium to achieve isotopic dilution, which could potentially be used to blend down 60% enriched uranium to levels suitable for nuclear power reactors ^[1]. Another source discusses diluting recovered uranium with depleted uranium and low-enriched uranium to obtain fuel for VVER reactors ^[2], though this doesn't specifically address 60% enriched material.

The analyses consistently indicate that reprocessed uranium needs to be enriched before it can be used as fuel in light water reactors ^{[3] [4]}, and that the process requires specialized facilities ^[3]. Nuclear power reactors typically use uranium enriched to only 3-5%, making the dilution from 60% a significant technical undertaking.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several critical pieces of context that the analyses reveal:

• Proliferation concerns: One source focuses on Iran's production of 60% enriched uranium and its potential implications for nuclear non-proliferation ^[5], highlighting that 60% enriched uranium is considered highly enriched and raises significant security concerns.
• Regulatory and safety requirements: The analyses don't address the regulatory approval processes, safety protocols, and international oversight that would be required for such blending operations.
• Economic considerations: Missing from the discussion are the costs associated with specialized facilities, technical expertise, and the economic viability of blending down 60% enriched uranium compared to using fresh low-enriched uranium.
• Alternative applications: The sources mention that research reactors use more highly enriched fuel (typically around 20% today) and that there are efforts to convert research reactors from HEU to LEU fuel ^[6], suggesting alternative uses for highly enriched material.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a potentially misleading premise by using the word "easily" to describe the blending down process. This characterization could minimize the technical complexity, security implications, and regulatory requirements involved.

The question also lacks context about why someone would want to blend down 60% enriched uranium, which is significant because this level of enrichment is approaching weapons-grade material (90%+ enrichment) and raises serious proliferation concerns that one source specifically addresses ^[5].

By framing this as a simple technical question about reactor fuel, the original statement omits the geopolitical and security dimensions that make 60% enriched uranium a sensitive topic in international nuclear policy. The question could inadvertently downplay the significance of possessing such highly enriched material, which is why international bodies closely monitor uranium enrichment activities at these levels.