Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T05:35:46.672Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Studies of Altered Vitrophyre for the Prediction of Nuclear waste Repository-Induced Thermal Alteration at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Schon S. Levy
Schon S. Levy*
Affiliation:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS J978, P.O. Box 1663, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA 87545
Get access

Abstract

Nuclear waste emplacement in devitrified volcanic tuff at Yucca Mountain will raise the temperature of surrounding rock for a geologically significant period of time. This study evaluates the susceptibility of an underlying 50 ft-thick vitrophyre to thermal alteration by examining alteration that occurred in the rock as it cooled after deposition. A 10°C temperature rise should have no mineralogical effects on the vitrophyre, but an increase of 60° or more is likely to result in alteration. Expected mineralogic changes in the vitrophyre caused by this amount of thermal loading include crystallization of zeolites and smectite. Alteration will be concentrated in a thin interval near the top of the vitrophyre and along fractures. Adsorbed water and water in preexisting hydrous minerals and in glass may contribute to hydrothermal alteration of underlying vitrophyre. Bulk porosity change would be slight and local porosity increase would probably be restricted to the upper part of the vitrophyre. Although some fracture filling could occur, such a minor sealing effect would be balanced by development of secondary porosity. Zeolites and smectite, newly-crystallized along fluid flow paths below the waste repository, could provide an enhanced sorptive barrier to radionuclide migration.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 26: Symposium D – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management VII , 1983 , 959
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Travis, B. J. et al. in: Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. [this volume] (1983).Google Scholar
2. Johnstone, J. K., Peters, R. R., and Gnirk, P. F., “Unit Evaluation at Yucca Mountain: Summary Report and Recommendation,” Sandia National Laboratories report SAND83-9372.Google Scholar
3. NNWSI Staff, “Conceptual Test Plan for NNWSI Exploratory Shaft” (October 26, 1982).Google Scholar
4. Spengler, R. W., Byers, F. M. Jr., and Warner, J. B., “Stratigraphy and Structure of Volcanic Rocks in USW-Gl, Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada,” US Geol. Surv. Open-File Report 81–1349 (1981).10.3133/ofr811349Google Scholar
5. Scott, R. and Castellanos, M., “Preliminary Report on the Geologic Character of Drill Holes USW-GU3 and USW-G3,” U.S. Geol. Surv. memorandum report (1982).Google Scholar
6. Bish, D. L. et al. in: Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. [this volume] (1983).Google Scholar
7. Vaniman, D. et al. , “Variations in Authigenic Mineralogy and Sorptive Zeolite Abundnce at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, Based on Studies of Drill Cores USW GU-3 and G-3,” Los Alamos National Laboratory report LA-9707-MS (in preparation).Google Scholar
8. Levy, S. S., “Petrology of Samples from Drill Holes USW H-3, H-4, and H-5, Yucca Mountain, Nevada,” Los Alamos National Laboratory report LA-9706-MS (in preparation).Google Scholar
9. Hoover, D. L., Geol. Soc. Amer. Mem. 110, 275–284 (1968).10.1130/MEM110-p275Google Scholar
10. Bish, D. L. et al. , “Preliminary Stratigraphic and Petrologic Characterization of Core Samples from USW-Gl, Yucca Mountain, Nevada,” Los Alamos National Laboratory report LA-8840-MS (1981).Google Scholar
11. lijima, A. and Ohwa, I. in: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Zeolites, Rees, L. V. C., ed. (Heyden, London 1980), pp. 139–148.Google Scholar
12. Levy, S. S., “History of Zeolitization and the Possibility for Future Alteration at Yucca Mountain, Nevada,” Los Alamos National Laboratory report (in preparation).Google Scholar
13. lijima, A. in: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Zeolites, Rees, L. V. C., ed. (Heyden, London 1980), pp. 103–118.Google Scholar
14. Bargar, K. E. and Beeson, M. H., Am. Min. 66, 473–490 (1981).Google Scholar
15. Sass, J. H. and Lachenbruch, A. H., “Preliminary Interpretation of Thermal Data from the Nevada Test Site,” US Geol. Surv. Open-File Report 82–973 (1982).10.3133/ofr82973Google Scholar
16. Riehle, J. R., Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull. 84, 2193–2216 (1973).10.1130/0016-7606(1973)84<2193:CCPORA>2.0.CO;22.0.CO;2>CrossRef2.0.CO;2>Google Scholar
17. Lappin, A. R. et al. , “Thermal Conductivity, Bulk Properties, and Thermal Stratigraphy of Silicic Tuffs From the Upper Portion of Hole USW-Gl, Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada,” Sandia National Laboratories report SAND81-1873 (1982).10.2172/59456Google Scholar
18. US DOE Task Force, “Draft Revised General Guidelines for Recommendation of Sites for Nuclear Waste Repositories” (May 27, 1983).Google Scholar
19. Daniels, W. R. et al. , “Summary Report on the Geochemistry of Yucca Mountain and Environs,” Los Alamos National Laboratory report LA-9328-MS (December 1982).10.2172/59148Google Scholar
20. Bish, D. L. in: Sixth Internat'l. Zeolite Conf., Reno, Nevada, Program and Abstracts (1983).Google Scholar
21. Zielinski, R. A., “Evaluation of Ash-Flow Tuffs as Hosts for Radioactive Waste: Criteria Based on Selective Leaching of Manganese Oxides,” US Geol. Surv. Open-File Report 83-480 (1983).10.3133/ofr83480Google Scholar