Does Uranium ore count as a mixture?

I'm doing an assignment where we must research the separation of a mixture to obtain a useful final product. I thought about the separation of uranium from its ore after it has been mined, but I did not know if the ore counted as a mixture, or a compound.




Yes, uranium ore is a mixture.


Uranium compounds such as pitchblende (uraninite) are only present as a small part (usually $<1$%) of the ore. 


Extensive purification is needed. Uranium ore purification would be a good choice for your project.


See for example:


<http://www.areva.com/EN/operations-677/uranium-processing-from-ore-to-yellow-cake.html>


<http://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/publications/magazines/bulletin/bull23-2/23204882428.pdf>


![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tE6Le.jpg)


image source: <http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Development_Details/Approaches/ChemCases/Nuclear_Chemistry_and_the_Community/08._Uranium_Production>


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The main uranium ore is pitchblende, or [uraninite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraninite), which is primarily composed of $\ce{UO2}$. $\ce{UO2}$ is ionically bonded together in a crystal structure and so it is definitely a compound and not a mixture. However, uraninite does contain small amounts of other compounds, such as $\ce{U3O8}$ and trace amounts of lead oxides and so the mineral as a whole is a mixture of compounds.


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