(ELI5) I just read that plutonium is very rare. I have little to no knowledge of science etc. where in the natural world does it come from? How do you source it?

Question

(ELI5) I just read that plutonium is very rare. I have little to no knowledge of science etc. where in the natural world does it come from? How do you source it?

In: 3

Answer 1

It doesn’t, other than trace amounts. We *made* it, by irradiating uranium with neutrons. The simplest route is U-238 + n –> U-239* –> neptunium-239 –> Pu-239.