Migration and retention of elements at the Oklo natural reactor
Journal Article
·
· Environ. Geol. (N.Y.); (United States)
The Oklo natural reactor, Gabon, permits study of fission-produced elemental behavior in a natural geologic environment. The uranium ore that sustained fission reactions formed about 2 billion years before present (BYBP), and the reactor was operative for about 5 x 10/sup 5/ yrs between about 1.95 to 2 BYBP. The many tons of fission products can, for the most part, be studied for their abundance and distribution today. Since reactor shutdown, many fissiogenic elements have not migrated from host pitchblende, and several others have migrated only a few tens of meters from the reactor ore. Only Xe and Kr have apparently been largely removed from the reactor zones. An element by element assessment of the Oklo rocks' ability to retain the fission products, and actinides and radiogenic Pb and Bi as well, leads to the conclusion that no widespread migration of the elements occurred. This suggests that rocks with more favorable geologic characteristics are indeed well suited for consideration for the storage of radioactive waste.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Geology University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- OSTI ID:
- 6702847
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Geol. (N.Y.); (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Geol. (N.Y.); (United States) Vol. 4:3/4; ISSN ENGED
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
050300* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Mining-- (-1987)
052002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
AFRICA
BISMUTH
CONTAINMENT
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUIDS
GABON
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL NUCLEAR REACTORS
NONMETALS
OKLO PHENOMENON
ORES
PALLADIUM
PLATINUM METALS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RARE GASES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
STORAGE
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM DEPOSITS
URANIUM ORES
VOLUME
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
XENON
052002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
AFRICA
BISMUTH
CONTAINMENT
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUIDS
GABON
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
ISOTOPES
KRYPTON
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL NUCLEAR REACTORS
NONMETALS
OKLO PHENOMENON
ORES
PALLADIUM
PLATINUM METALS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RARE GASES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
STORAGE
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM DEPOSITS
URANIUM ORES
VOLUME
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
XENON