Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the Piedmont Province of South Carolina

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6661003· OSTI ID:6661003

Secor, Jr., D. T.

This report reviews the geology of the Piedmont Province of South Carolina with the aim of designating rock units favorable for field exploration for a potential underground repository for the storage of radioactive waste. Most of the rocks in the South Carolina Piedmont are metamorphosed sedimentary volcanic or igneous rocks that have experienced at least one episode of strong deformation. As a consequence of this deformation, they have irregular shapes, making it difficult to predict their subsurface extent. In evaluating the suitability of the rock units for radioactive waste storage, certain criteria were found to be particularly useful. The requirements that the storage site be located in a large volume of homogeneous, impermeable, relatively unfractured rock was the most important criteria in eliminating most of the Piedmont rock units for consideration as field study areas. Six large late- to post-tectonic igneous plutons (Winnsboro, Liberty Hill, Ogden, Newberry, Lowrys, and Bald Rock) are recommended as field study areas.

• Research Organization: South Carolina Univ., Columbia (USA). Dept. of Geology; Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-76SR00001
• OSTI ID: 6661003
• Report Number(s): DP-1563
• 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
58 GEOSCIENCES
580300* -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
DOCUMENT TYPES
EVALUATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
IGNEOUS ROCKS
MANAGEMENT
MAPS
NORTH AMERICA
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
REVIEWS
ROCKS
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTHEAST REGION
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT