Mineralogic alteration history and paleohydrology at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Conference · Mon Dec 31 04:00:00 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., 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
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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