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Response<br />

210<br />

GEOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS<br />

Fracturing and permeability in granite may be difficult to detect, measure and model,<br />

particularly for a large rock mass with widely spaced or even random fracturing. See Sec-<br />

tion 5.2, which also states that field tests will be necessary after a site is selected.<br />

Geophysical methods have developed to where they are a valuable and widely used method <strong>of</strong><br />

obtaining subsurface information. Locating and describing relatively small zones with ana-<br />

molous properties (such as fractures) in a large rock mass are still difficult.<br />

The National <strong>Waste</strong> Terminal Storage program (NWTS) recognizes that permeability tests<br />

are required in the field. During exploration for any potential repository site, permeabil-<br />

ity tests will certainly be performed.<br />

In the Climax facility at 1400 ft. depth in Nevada Test Site granite, in-situ rock<br />

permeability measurements are part <strong>of</strong> the experimental program.<br />

Draft p. 1.13<br />

Issue<br />

The opening statement (under Adequacy <strong>of</strong> Data Base) has the appearance <strong>of</strong> a bid pro-<br />

posal and does not adequately reflect the extent <strong>of</strong> research covered elsewhere in the<br />

document. (34)<br />

Response<br />

This statement has been deleted.<br />

Draft p. 1.14<br />

Issue<br />

One commenter stated his work demonstrates the futility <strong>of</strong> laboratory measurements on<br />

rock properties for shallow granitic rock bodies (less than 1 km depth), at least in Cali-<br />

fornia. The commenter suggested that there remains a lot to be learned about interpretation<br />

<strong>of</strong> geophysical data gathered on granitic rocks in place. (190)<br />

Response<br />

The NWTS program recognizes that rock properties and behavior must be obtained in gran-<br />

itic rock bodies at depth. The program has participated in the Stripa tests in a mine at<br />

about 1200 ft. depth in Sweden. Analyses <strong>of</strong> data from those tests is ongoing.<br />

At present, the NWTS program includes work in the Climax facility at about 1400 ft.<br />

depth in the Nevada Test Site. The Climax tests are just beginning and will provide field<br />

data at depth for several years to come.

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