Yellowcake in Rotterdam Harbor May Be From Iraq

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — A recycling company found uranium oxide -- a radioactive material also known as yellowcake -- in a shipment of scrap steel it believes originally came from Iraq , the company said Thursday."

Nuclear experts say that although not highly radioactive, uranium oxide can be processed into enriched uranium usable in a nuclear weapon -- but highly advanced technology is needed.

Experts said that around 2 pounds of yellowcake, the amount found, would not be useful for either a bomb or fuel.

...he said there was no obvious non-nuclear industrial use for yellowcake and it would be strange to find it in random scrap metal.