Depleted uranium (DU) is obtained by processing mined uranium ore. Most of the radioactive isotopes extracted from the ore are used for nuclear weapons or atomic power plants. What remains is a less radioactive isotopeto 238, depleted uranium. It is almost two times denser than lead and flammable at impact, which makes it extremely effective when penetrating the armour.Miltary experts have in 1970s started to embed DU into the nozzles of conventional nuclear projectiles, granades and bullets. Every projectile contains about 350 grams of DU and that part of the projectile is called a “penetrator”. When a uranium “penetrator” hits a tank, the “penetrator” and the armour partially soften under the pressure. According to Pentagon’s literal description, a depleted uranium projectile goes through a tank like “a hot knife through butter”. But only one particle of DU in the lymph glands could destroy the whole immune system, says doctor Rodger Coghill.