Mineralogy, petrology and bromine geochemistry of selected samples of the Salado Salt, Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico: a potential horizon for the disposal of radioactive waste
The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the mineralogy, petrology and dehydration characteristics of the Salado Salt near Carlsbad, New Mexico (a potential radioactive waste repository). Bedded evaporite deposits were selected by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council because of their general lack of water, self-healing property when fractured, thermal conductivity and stopping power of high energy radiation. The Salado Salt was chosen using these guidelines. It is a bedded evaporite sequence (about two-thousand feet thick) of late Permian age located in southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. The Salado is composed primarily of halite with lesser amounts of anhydrite, polyhalite and with a zone of economic potash minerals. The results of this study show that: (1) halite is the dominant mineral in all but a few samples with anhydrite being next most abundant in the lower portions of the Salado Salt and polyhalite being second most abundant in the upper part of the unit, (2) thin section analyses reveal several shallow-water features such as hopper crystals, halite embedded in clay and nodular anhydrite, (3) polyhalite commonly occurs as a secondary mineral at the expense of anhydrite, (4) both anhydrite and polyhalite exist in various habits and associations, (5) spectroscopic analyses reveal low bromine concentrations for the Salado (and the Hutchinson Salt, Lyons, Kansas), suggesting that both are second generation deposits, (6) dehydration studies show the Salado to lose 0.0 to 3.5 percent water upon heating to 102 +- 5/sup 0/C. Most of the higher weight losses (greater than 0.5 percent) can be related to zones rich in clays and/or polyhalite. The Salado is a potential site for a radwaste repository if clay- and polyhalite-rich zones are avoided.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26; SUB-3670
- OSTI ID:
- 7307421
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/Sub/3670-5; TRN: 77-009031
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BROMINE
GEOCHEMISTRY
NEW MEXICO
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SALT DEPOSITS
SITE SELECTION
MINERALOGY
PETROLOGY
DEHYDRATION
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
CHEMISTRY
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
HALOGENS
MANAGEMENT
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
SCATTERING
SOUTHWEST REGION
SPECTROSCOPY
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage