The series of steps involved in supplying fuel for nuclear power reactors include the following:

• Uranium recovery to extract (or mine) uranium ore, and concentrate (or mill) the ore to produce "yellowcake"
• Conversion of yellowcake into uranium hexafluoride (UF₆)
• Enrichment to increase the concentration of uranium-235 (U-235) in UF₆
• Deconversion to reduce the hazards associated with the depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), or tailings produced in earlier stages of the fuel cycle
• Fuel fabrication to convert enriched UF₆ into fuel for nuclear reactors
• Interim storage of spent nuclear fuel Reprocessing of high-level waste to recover the fissionable material remaining in the spent fuel (currently not done in the United States)
• Final disposition (disposal) of high-level waste