Geochemistry of Salado Formation brines recovered from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) repository
Intergranular brines recovered from the repository horizon of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) have major- and trace-element compositions that reflect seawater evaporation and diagenetic processes. Brines obtained from repository drill holes are heterogenous with respect to composition, but their compositional fields are distinct from those obtained from fluid inclusions in WIPP halite. The heterogeneity of brine compositions within the drill-hole population indicates a lack of mixing and fluid homogenization within the salt at the repository level. Compositional differences between intergranular (drill hole) and intragranular (fluid inclusions) brines is attributed to isolation of the latter from diagenetic fluids that were produced from dehydration reactions involving gypsum and clay minerals. Modeling of brine-rock equilibria indicates that equilibration with evaporite minerals controls the concentrations of major elements in the brine. Drill-hole brines are in equilibrium with the observed repository minerals halite, anhydrite, magnesite, polyhalite and quartz. The equilibrium model supports the derivation of drill-hole brines from near-field fluid, rather than large-scale vertical migration of fluids from the overlying Rustler or underlying Castile Formations. 13 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- International Technology Corp., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-86AL31950
- OSTI ID:
- 5797959
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-900210-63; ON: DE91011486; TRN: 91-015056
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management 90: working towards a cleaner environment: waste processing, transportation, storage and disposal, technical programs and public education, Tucson, AZ (USA), 25 Feb - 1 Mar 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
BRINES
GEOCHEMISTRY
WIPP
HYDROLOGY
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
BOREHOLES
DIAGENESIS
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
GEOLOGY
HALITE
MINERALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SALT DEPOSITS
SEAWATER
STRATIGRAPHY
CAVITIES
CHEMISTRY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HALIDE MINERALS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
580000 - Geosciences