CEA and mining industry

The French atomic energy commission (CEA) is involved in the mining industry in several ways: - in the front-end of the nuclear industry through its daughter companies and participations in the exploration and exploitation of uranium ores, but also of gold and alloy metals with a 26% participation in Eramet company, the world leader of manganese and nickel. This activity is the main occupation of Cogema daughter company, via the Areva holding; - in the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle with the delicate problem of the management of radioactive wastes; - in parallel with the nuclear industry through an important activity in semiconductor materials (FCI and SMTElectronics); - and finally through various research works on several mineral compounds. This article focusses on the fuel cycle aspects of the CEA activities and concludes with the research works carried out today on thermonuclear fusion. (J.S.)