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Nature and genesis of clay minerals of the Rustler Formation in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southeastern New Mexico

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7005088
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Queensland Univ., St. Lucia (Australia)
  3. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
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Detailed mineralogical studies of the matrix and fracture-fill materials of a large number of samples from the Rustler Formation have been carried out using x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, x-ray fluorescence, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. These analyses indicate the presence of four clay minerals: interstratified chlorite/saponite, illite, chlorite, and serpentine. Corrensite (regularly stratified chlorite/saponite) is the dominant clay mineral in samples from the Culebra dolomite and two shale layers of the lower unnamed member of the Rustler Formation. Within other layers of the Rustler Formation, disordered mixed chlorite/saponite is usually the most abundant clay mineral. Studies of the morphology and composition of clay crystallites suggest that the corrensite was formed by the alteration of detrital dioctahedral smectite in magnesium-rich pore fluids during early diagenesis of the Rustler Formation. This study provides initial estimates of the abundance and nature of the clay minerals in the Culebra dolomite in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
7005088
Report Number(s):
SAND-90-2569; ON: DE92040643
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLAYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIAGENESIS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EVAPORITES
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
MINERALOGY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PILOT PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WIPP