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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Scientific data necessary to predict radionuclide migration within or near a mined nuclear repository

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:60291
The National Waste Terminal Storage Program was created to develop a system to isolate radioactive wastes from the biosphere. It has been determined that the most reasonable means for accomplishing this task is to place the high-level and transuranic wastes in mined geologic repositories. Three geologic environments have been selected for further study and evaluation: (1) domed or bedded salt formations, (2) thick basalt flows fo the Columbia River Plateau and (3) alkali igneous rocks, both tuffs and granites, of the Nevada Test Site. Each of these candidate geologies will present a different physical-chemical environment to the waste package. The physical environments have been estimated based on depth of repository, radionuclide loading, and spacing of canisters. The chemical environments are based on initial host-rock mineralogy, native ground-water geochemistry, and likely alteration assemblages. The latter sections of this report discuss the mechanisms of radionuclide release, transport, and retention on the host rocks or their alteration products.
Research Organization:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-76ID01570
OSTI ID:
60291
Report Number(s):
EGG-FM--6202; ON: DE83012102
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English