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Title: Mineralogic variation in drill holes USW NRG-6, NRG-7/7a, SD-7, SD-9, SD-12, and UZ{number_sign}14: New data from 1996--1997 analyses

Abstract

New quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) mineralogic data have been obtained for samples from drill holes NRG-6, NRG-7/7A, SD-7, SD-9, SD- 12, and UZ{number_sign}14. In addition, new QXRD analyses were obtained on samples located in a strategic portion of drill hole USW H-3. These data improve our understanding of the mineral stratigraphy at Yucca Mountain, and they further constrain the 3-D Mineralogic Model of Yucca Mountain. Some of the unexpected findings include the occurrence of the zeolite chabazite in the vitric zone of USW SD-7, broad overlap of vitric and zeolitic horizons (over vertical ranges up to 70 m), and the previously unrecognized importance of the bedded tuft beneath the Calico Hills Formation as a subunit with generally more extensive zeolitization than the Calico Hills Formation in the southern part of the potential repository area. Reassessment of data from drill hole USW H-5 suggests that the zeolitization of this bedded unit occurs in the northwestern part of the repository exploration block as well. Further analyses of the same interval in USW H-3, however, have not permitted the same conclusion to be reached for the southwestern part of the repository block because of the much poorer quality of the cuttings in H-3more » compared with those from H-5. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) chemical data for drill holes USW SD-7, 9, and 12 show that the zeolitic horizons provide a >10 million year record of retardation of Sr transport, although the data also show that simplistic models of one-dimensional downward flow in the unsaturated zone (UZ) are inadequate. Complex interstratification of zeolites and glass, with highly variable profiles between drill cores, point to remaining problems in constructing detailed mineral stratigraphies. However, the new data in this report provide important information for constructing bounding models of zeolite stratigraphy for transport calculations.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
353999
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-97-2159
ON: DE97008589
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 30 May 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
05 NUCLEAR FUELS; YUCCA MOUNTAIN; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL; MINERALOGY; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; BOREHOLES; ZEOLITES; X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS; STRATIGRAPHY; EXPERIMENTAL DATA

Citation Formats

Chipera, S.J., Vaniman, D.T., Bish, D.L., and Carey, J.W. Mineralogic variation in drill holes USW NRG-6, NRG-7/7a, SD-7, SD-9, SD-12, and UZ{number_sign}14: New data from 1996--1997 analyses. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.2172/353999.
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Chipera, S.J., Vaniman, D.T., Bish, D.L., & Carey, J.W. Mineralogic variation in drill holes USW NRG-6, NRG-7/7a, SD-7, SD-9, SD-12, and UZ{number_sign}14: New data from 1996--1997 analyses. United States. doi:10.2172/353999.
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Chipera, S.J., Vaniman, D.T., Bish, D.L., and Carey, J.W. Fri . "Mineralogic variation in drill holes USW NRG-6, NRG-7/7a, SD-7, SD-9, SD-12, and UZ{number_sign}14: New data from 1996--1997 analyses". United States. doi:10.2172/353999. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/353999.
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@article{osti_353999,
title = {Mineralogic variation in drill holes USW NRG-6, NRG-7/7a, SD-7, SD-9, SD-12, and UZ{number_sign}14: New data from 1996--1997 analyses},
author = {Chipera, S.J. and Vaniman, D.T. and Bish, D.L. and Carey, J.W.},
abstractNote = {New quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) mineralogic data have been obtained for samples from drill holes NRG-6, NRG-7/7A, SD-7, SD-9, SD- 12, and UZ{number_sign}14. In addition, new QXRD analyses were obtained on samples located in a strategic portion of drill hole USW H-3. These data improve our understanding of the mineral stratigraphy at Yucca Mountain, and they further constrain the 3-D Mineralogic Model of Yucca Mountain. Some of the unexpected findings include the occurrence of the zeolite chabazite in the vitric zone of USW SD-7, broad overlap of vitric and zeolitic horizons (over vertical ranges up to 70 m), and the previously unrecognized importance of the bedded tuft beneath the Calico Hills Formation as a subunit with generally more extensive zeolitization than the Calico Hills Formation in the southern part of the potential repository area. Reassessment of data from drill hole USW H-5 suggests that the zeolitization of this bedded unit occurs in the northwestern part of the repository exploration block as well. Further analyses of the same interval in USW H-3, however, have not permitted the same conclusion to be reached for the southwestern part of the repository block because of the much poorer quality of the cuttings in H-3 compared with those from H-5. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) chemical data for drill holes USW SD-7, 9, and 12 show that the zeolitic horizons provide a >10 million year record of retardation of Sr transport, although the data also show that simplistic models of one-dimensional downward flow in the unsaturated zone (UZ) are inadequate. Complex interstratification of zeolites and glass, with highly variable profiles between drill cores, point to remaining problems in constructing detailed mineral stratigraphies. However, the new data in this report provide important information for constructing bounding models of zeolite stratigraphy for transport calculations.},
doi = {10.2172/353999},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 30 00:00:00 EDT 1997},
month = {Fri May 30 00:00:00 EDT 1997}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (5.97 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/353999
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    Rock cores from drillholes UE25-NRG-4, USW-NRG-6, USW-NRG-7, and USW-SD-9 containing natural fractures were obtained from the Sample Management Facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. All recoverable fractures were sheared at constant normal stresses from 2.5 to 15 MPa, in the as-received condition (air-dry). Detailed profilometer data were collected from each fracture surface before testing. The tests yielded the normal closure as a function of normal stress, and the shear stress and dilation as functions of shear offset. The constitutive properties obtained from these stress-displacement relations were: normal stiffness, shear stiffness, shear strength, and dilation angle at peak shear stress. Shear strengthmore » plotted against normal stress for four thermomechanical units shows that friction angle varies from 370 to 460 and cohesion varies from 0.02 to 1.71 MPa.« less

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  • ; ; ; ...
    Specimens were tested from four thermal-mechanical units, namely Tiva Canyon (TCw), Paintbrush Tuff (PTn), and two Topopah Spring units (TSw1 and TSw2), and from two lithologies, i.e., welded devitrified (TCw, TSw1, TSw2) and nonwelded vitric tuff (PTn). Thermal conductivities in W(mk){sup {minus}1} averaged over all boreholes, ranged (depending upon temperature and saturation state) from 1.2 to 1.9 for TCw, from 0.4 to 0.9 for PTn, from 1.0 to 1.7 for TSw1, and from 1.5 to 2.3 for TSw2. Mean coefficients of thermal expansion were highly temperature dependent and values, averaged over all boreholes, ranged (depending upon temperature and saturation state)more » from 6.6 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} to 49 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} C{sup {minus}1} for TCw, from the negative range to 16 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} {center_dot} {degree}C{sup {minus}1} for PTn, from 6.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} to 44 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} C{sup {minus}1} for TSw1, and from 6.7 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} to 37 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} {center_dot} {degree}C{sup {minus}1} for TSw2. Mean values of thermal capacitance in J/cm{sup 3}K (averaged overall specimens) ranged from 1.6 J to 2.1 for TSw1 and from 1.8 to 2.5 for TSw2. In general, the lithostratigraphic classifications of rock assigned by the USGS are consistent with the mineralogical data presented in this report.« less

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  • ; ; ; ...
    An integral part of the licensing procedure for the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, involves prediction of the in situ rheology for the design and construction of the facility and the emplacement of canisters containing radioactive waste. The data used to model the thermal and mechanical behavior of the repository and surrounding lithologies include dry and saturated bulk densities, average grain density, porosity, compressional and shear wave velocities, elastic moduli, and compressional and tensional fracture strengths. In this study, a suite of experiments was performed on cores recovered from the USW NRG-717A borehole drilled in support ofmore » the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain. USW NRG-7/7A was drilled to a depth of 1,513.4 feet through five thermal/mechanical units of Paintbrush tuff and terminating in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico IEUS. The thermal/mechanical stratigraphy was defined by Orfiz et al. to group rock horizons of similar properties for the purpose of simplifying modeling efforts. The relationship between the geologic stratigraphy and the thermal/mechanical stratigraphy is presented. The tuff samples in this study have a wide range of welding characteristics, and a smaller range of mineralogy and petrology characteristics. Generally, the samples are silicic, ash-fall tuffs that exhibit large variability in their elastic and strength properties.« less