Simulated high-level waste-basalt interaction experiments. Annual progress report, October 1, 1977--September 30, 1978

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6420022· OSTI ID:6420022

Scheetz, B E; Smith, D K; Barnes, M W; Komarneni, S; Stull, L M; Smith, C A

Reconnaissance experiments suggested that the observed reactivity of calcine and glass as 300/sup 0/C would be anticipated at lower temperatures but only after longer times of hydrothermal treatment. Long-duration experiments at 100/sup 0/ and 300/sup 0/C were initiated to determine the time dependence of the alterations at lower temperatures. The reconnaissance experiments also suggested that equilibrium conditions were not yet achieved in these closed system experiments. Glass was observed to alter readily with the formation of acmite-augite pyroxene; a uranyl silicate, weeksite; and a rare-earth slicate-phosphate hydroxyapatite. Nearly all of the B, ca. 70% of the Mo and ca. 50% of the Na in the original glass were dissolved. A simulated reduced SURF (spent unreprocessed fuel) was utilized in hydrothermal experiments. Analyses of the solutions confirmed that soluble fission products phases were leached from the UO/sub 2/ matrix and all of the alkali metals were leached from the SURF. In the presence of basalt, however, the released alkalis react with aluminosilicates and are removed from solution. Individual phases believed to be present in SURF have been hydrothermally treated, with the reference basalts and with major primary and secondary minerals. Cs(OH), Cs/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/ and Cs/sub 2/U/sub 2/O/sub 7/ were used as potential cesium phases. In some cases as much as 99.9% of the cesium can be removed from solution by interacting with the rocks and minerals to form pollucite. The interaction of strontium zirconate under hydrothermal conditions with the above rock and basalt minerals indicates that in all cases 99.9% of the available strontium is retained in the strontium zirconate or as alteration products. 11 figures, 8 tables.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Materials Research Labs.
• DOE Contract Number: EY-77-C-06-1030
• OSTI ID: 6420022
• Report Number(s): RHO-BWI-C-33
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BASALT
CESIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DATA FORMS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FUELS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GLASS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
MANAGEMENT
METALS
MINERALS
MOLYBDATES
MOLYBDENUM COMPOUNDS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTOR MATERIALS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
ROCKS
SPENT FUELS
STRONTIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES