Survey of active and inactive mines for possible use as in situ test facilities
A survey of active and inactive mines which might be useful for radioactive waste storage in situ test experiments was conducted. It was performed for Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, Office of Waste Isolation. The report covers available information gathered from literature, U.S. Bureau of Mines, the Mining Enforcement and Safety Agency, and a limited number of personal contacts with constructors or operators of facilities. This survey is preliminary in nature and the objective is to develop potential candidate facilities for in situ experiments which warrant further investigation. Included are descriptions of 244 facilities, with all the data about each one which was available within the time restraint of the study. These facility descriptions are additionally indexed by depth of mine, nature of the country rock, mineral mined, and type of entry. A total of 14 inactive mines and 34 active mines has been selected as those most worthy of further investigation for possible service as nuclear waste isolation test facilities. This investigation, being preliminary and having been performed in a very short time period, must be qualified, and the description of the qualification is presented in the body of this report. Qualifications deal primarily with the hazard of having omitted facilities and having incomplete data in some instances. Results indicate sedimentary rock mines of minerals of evaporite origin as a first ranking of preference for in situ testing, followed by other sedimentary rocks and then by mines producing minerals from any type rock where the mine is above the local water table. These are general rules and of course there can be exceptions to them.
- Research Organization:
- Cobbs (James H.) Engineering, Tulsa, OK (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 7068089
- Report Number(s):
- Y/OWI/SUB-76/16514
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ABANDONED SHAFTS
DATA COMPILATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
MANAGEMENT
MINES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHAFT EXCAVATIONS
SITE SELECTION
STORAGE
TEST FACILITIES
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE