Mineralogic alteration history and paleohydrology at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Conference · Mon Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:137986

Levy, S S

The importance of paleohydrology to the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project derives from the role water will play in radioactive-waste repository performance. Changes in hydrologic conditions during the lifetime of the repository may be estimated by investigating past hydrologic variations, including changes in the static water-level position. Based on the distribution of vitric and zeolitized tuffs and the structural history of the site, the highest water levels were reached and receded downward 11.6 to 12.8 myr ago. Since that time, the water level at central Yucca Mountain has probably not risen more than about 60 m above its present position. The history of the high potentiometric gradient running through northern Yucca Mountain may be partly elucidated by the study of tridymite distribution in rocks that have experienced saturated conditions for varying periods of time.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 137986
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-90-4388; CONF-910435-22; ON: DE91005941; TRN: 91:004789
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2. annual American Nuclear Society (ANS) international high level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 28 Apr - 3 May 1991; Other Information: PBD: [1990]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
58 GEOSCIENCES
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
HYDROLOGY
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
WATER TABLES
TUFF
FLOW MODELS
RISK ASSESSMENT
MINERALOGY
CLINOPTILOLITE
DRILL CORES
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
Yucca Mountain Project