Mineralogy of the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5524095· OSTI ID:5524095

Sewards, T; Williams, M L; Keil, K ^[1]

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1. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

This report characterizes the mineralogy of the Culebra Member of the Rustler Formation based on studies of samples from cores of eight boreholes surrounding the WIPP repository. This investigation has three main goals: to obtain accurate modal compositions of all the samples selected; to investigate both the lateral and vertical variation of the mineralogy of the Culebra unit; and, to characterize water-bearing fracture surfaces in particular detail. The Culebra Dolomite member of the Rustler Formation is mineralogically and texturally heterogeneous, both vertically and horizontally. Although the predominant mineral is dolomite, important constituents of the formation are clay, quartz, gypsum, and calcite. Trace minerals include halite, phyllosilicates of metamorphic origin, feldspar, and pyrite. 24 refs., 90 figs., 27 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5524095
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-7008; ON: DE91014327; TRN: 91-018468
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MINERALOGY
WIPP
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
BOREHOLES
CALCITE
CLAYS
DOLOMITE
ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
GYPSUM
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY
PETROGRAPHY
POROSITY
QUARTZ
SPECTROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CAVITIES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
SCATTERING
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SULFATE MINERALS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS
580000* - Geosciences
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage