Calcite/opal deposits at Yucca Mountain, Nevada: Pedogenic or hypogene?

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/227034· OSTI ID:227034

Hill, C. A.; Schluter, C. M.; Harmon, R. S. ^[1]

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1. and others

This study is part of the research program of the Yucca Mountain Project intended to provide the State of Nevada with a detailed assessment of the geology and geochemistry of Yucca Mountain and adjacent regions. The purpose of this paper is to consider all of the geological and geochemical data available for the calcite/opal deposits at Yucca Mountain and to ascertain whether this data favors a pedogenic or hyogene origin for these deposits. Far from being of esoteric concern, this subject is of paramount importance to the debate which rages around the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a high-level radioactive waste repository site. It is also the purpose of this paper to serve as a foundation for a lengthy feature article to be submitted for publication in 1994. In addition, a stand has been taken by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences against the upwelling-water model (a vote of 17 to 0 against), and this same panel report has concluded that {open_quotes}there is no compelling evidence for the repetitive flooding of the environment by expulsion of groundwater{close_quotes} and that {open_quotes}instead, the evidence strongly supports the idea that the near-surface mineral deposits resulted from percolating rainwater, which carried soil minerals down into rock fractures{close_quotes}. Based on such information the Department of Energy has stated that it {open_quotes}finds no basis to continue to study the origin of these specific deposits{close_quotes}. This study, based upon many different independent lines of evidence, reaches the opposite conclusion and instead favors a hypogene spring-travertine origin for the controversial calcite/opal deposits at Yucca Mountain. This study recognizes a pedogenic carbonate component at Yucca Mountain, but argues that this component is distinct from, and sometimes intermixed with, the calcite/opal deposits.

• Research Organization: Technology and Resource Assessment Corp., Boulder, CO (United States)
• OSTI ID: 227034
• Report Number(s): DOE/NV/10461--T44; ON: DE96007228
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
CALCITE
CARBON 13
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GROUND WATER
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ISOTOPE RATIO
LIMESTONE
METEORIC WATER
MINERALOGY
ORIGIN
OXYGEN 18
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
STRATIGRAPHY
STRONTIUM 86
STRONTIUM 87
TRAVERTINE
TUFF
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
URANIUM 234
URANIUM 238
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
ZEOLITES