Basalt as a potential waste package backfill component in a repository located within the Columbia River basalt

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7177937

Wood, M I; Coons, W E

The two major functions of a backfill are considered to be the exclusion of water from the waste package and chemical retardation of radionuclide migration. Preliminary experiments were conducted with Umtanum basalt, water, and various waste forms including simulated spent fuel, supercalcine, and borosilicate glass to determine the feasibility of using basalt as a potential backfill component. Basalt is being evaluated principally as a chemical barrier. Experiments done in the temperature range of 100 to 300/sup 0/C with only waste form and water show nearly complete dissolution of cesium, rubidium, and molybdenum. However, in parallel experiments, where basalt was added to the system, cesium, rubidium, strontium, and molybdenum were almost completely removed from solution. Analyses of solid run products indicate the formation of pollucite ((Cs,Rb,Na)AlSi/sub 2/O/sub 6/ . H/sub 2/O) and powellite (CaMoO/sub 4/). It is suggested that the glass component of the basalt reacts to form the stable solid phases that fix these elements. Also, rubidium is likely to follow cesium into a plagioclase structure and strontium may be found in plagioclase or powellite. Thus, given the ready availability and reactive nature of basalt, it is a recommended candidate backfill material for use at the Hanford Site.

• Research Organization: Rockwell Hanford Operations Basalt Waste Isolation Project, Richland, Washington 99352
• OSTI ID: 7177937
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 59:3; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BACKFILLING
BASALT
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CALCINED WASTES
CESIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GLASS
GROUND WATER
HANFORD RESERVATION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPES
LEACHING
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
MOLYBDENUM
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
REACTOR MATERIALS
ROCKS
RUBIDIUM ISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPENT FUELS
STRONTIUM
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER