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U.S. Department of Energy
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Conceptual operations report for a repository at the Yucca Mountain site

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:59542
This study develops conceptual operations scenarios for underground mining development and waste emplacement at the prospective nuclear waste repository in tuff at the Nevada Test Site. Methods and operations required for mining, transportation and material handling, maintenance and shop practice, construction, large-diameter hole drilling, and waste emplacement and storage are presented for both the horizontal and vertical emplacement methods. These methods were developed from all current information collected by the Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigations project and operations data from underground mines. Underground mining and waste emplacement operations will require the following. The underground operations of the horizontal and vertical emplacement methods require approximately 188 and 548 employees, respectively. The total power consumption for the underground operations, excluding mine lighting and instrumentation, is 1815 kVA for the horizontal emplacement method (assuming a shaft-headframe material handling system is employed) and 2945 kVA for the vertical emplacement method (assuming a 20% grade ramp material handling system is employed). The amount of water required for the mining operations in both emplacement methods is approximately 38 gal/ft of drift. This does not include the water required for dust control and pilot hole drilling. Thirty-six mobile units are required for the horizontal emplacement method and 73 mobile units are required for the vertical emplacement method. 4 references, 12 tables.
Research Organization:
Dravo Engineers, Inc., Denver, CO (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
59542
Report Number(s):
SAND--83-7446; ON: DE84017241
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English