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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Mined salt storage feasibility: Engineering study report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7229368

This study addresses a method of eliminating the surface storage of mined salt at the Deaf Smith repository site. It provides rough estimates of the logistics and costs of transporting 3.7 million tons of salt from the repository to the salt disposal site near Carlsbad, New Mexico and returning it to the repository for decommissioning backfill. The study assumes that a railcar/truck system will be installed and that the excavated salt will be transported from the repository to an existing potash mine located near Carlsbad, New Mexico approximately 300 miles from the repository. The 3.7 million tons of salt required for repository decommissioning backfill can be stored in the potash mines along with the excess salt, with no additional capital costs required for either a railcar or a truck transportation system. The capital cost for facilities to reclaim the 3.7 million tons of salt from the potash mine is estimated to be $4,400,000 with either a rail or truck transportation system. Segregating the 3.7 million tons of backfill salt in a surface storage area at the potash mine requires a capital cost of $13,900,000 with a rail system or $11,400,000 with a truck system. Transportation costs are estimated at $0.08/ton-mile for rail and $0.13/ton-mile for truck. 2 figs., 5 tabs.

Research Organization:
Fluor Technology, Inc., Irvine, CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-87CH10290; AC02-83WM46656
OSTI ID:
7229368
Report Number(s):
DOE/CH/46656-05; BMI/ONWI/C-91; ON: TI88012374
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English