Research and development related to the Nevada nuclear waste storage investigations. Progress report, July 1-September 30, 1979
- comp.
Sorption under anoxic conditions is reported for core samples of tuff from exploratory drill hole UE25a-1. Sorption for Sr, Cs, Ba, Ce, and Eu is somewhat lower in pure nitrogen than in ambient atmosphere, but generally by less than a factor of two. U and Tc sorb poorly in nitrogen; however, an increase over atmospheric conditions is noted for Tc. Final results for sorption of Pu and Am on core samples from drill hole J-13 are presented, and problems with Am are discussed. Ground water composition is found to be a major factor in sorption. Autoradiography indicates that Pu sorbs indiscriminately on rock thin sections and that Np deposits in aggregate form. Zeolite minerals are present within two distinct horizons of tuff in the stratigraphic section penetrated by exploratory drill hole UE25a-1. The horizons occur in low density tuff (partially to nonwelded and bedded tuff) within the lower part of and stratigraphically below Paintbrush Tuff. Zeolite minerals include clinoptilotite and minor amounts of low silica, high alkali mordenite. The zeolite is characteristic of low temperature (<100{sup 0}C) ground water alteration of glass in an open hydrologic system. Prototype containment vessels for the hydrothermal soak tests have been assembled and tested. Regional studies of the occurrence and tectonic setting of Plio-Pleistocene age basaltic volcanic centers of the southern Great Basin are in progress. Revised volcanic disruption probability calculations for a 60-km radius circle around Yucca Mountain fall into the range of 10{sup -9}/year. Petrographic and geochemical data for the basalts of Crater Flat show a strong control of basalt type with structural setting. Models of crystal-liquid fractionation of the basalts of Crater Flat using observed phenocryst phases cannot account for chemical variations of basalt types.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 59107
- Report Number(s):
- LA-8152-PR
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Nov 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Research and development related to the Nevada nuclear waste storage investigations. Progress report, October 1-December 31, 1979
Further description of the petrology of the Topopah Spring member of the paintbrush tuff in drill holes UE25A-1 and USW-G1 and of the lithic-rich tuff in USW-G1, Yucca Mountain, Nevada