Depleted Uranium

Depleted Uranium is a refined metal used primarily as a construction material rather than a crafting ingredient. It can be employed in many buildings and equipment in the same way as other refined metals, but unlike Enriched Uranium it is not used in production recipes. Among refined metals, it stands out for having the highest Specific Heat Capacity and the lowest Thermal Conductivity, which makes it especially useful in high-temperature situations where heat transfer should be slowed down.

It is also one of the strongest radiation-shielding materials available. As a building material, Depleted Uranium provides 68% radiation resistance, which is the highest value among building tiles when only DLC content is considered. At the same time, it is not a perfectly passive shield: solid Depleted Uranium and tiles made from it emit a small amount of radiation within a 3-tile radius, at 55 rads/cycle per ton. This can provide limited sterilizing effects, but it also means Depleted Uranium is not always the best choice when complete radiation containment is required.

A few practical uses make it especially valuable:

• As a construction material for buildings that benefit from high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity.
• As a radiation shield in bases, reactors, or other areas where blocking radiation matters.
• As a source of low-level radiation around solid blocks or tiles, which can help with sterilization.
• As food for Plug Slugs, which can eat Depleted Uranium and produce hydrogen.

Because it releases radiation on its own, Depleted Uranium is best chosen deliberately rather than used everywhere by default. It is strongest when you want a material that both resists heat flow and helps manage radiation, such as in hot industrial setups or specialized containment builds.