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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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269<br />

GEOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS<br />

* Brandshaw, R. L., and McClain, W. C., Editors, Project Salt Vault: A Demonstration <strong>of</strong><br />

the Disposal <strong>of</strong> High Activity Solidified <strong>Waste</strong>s in Underground Salt Mines,<br />

ORNL-4555, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, April 1971.<br />

* DOE/NE-0007, DOE Position Paper to the NRC Rulemaking on Nuclear <strong>Waste</strong> Storage and Dis-<br />

Issue<br />

posal, April 1980.<br />

It was suggested that the effect <strong>of</strong> radiation on the four repository media (salt,<br />

basalt, granite, shale) should be discussed. (25)<br />

Response<br />

Data on the subject <strong>of</strong> radiation effects on media is very limited. There is some<br />

information for salt, but almost nothing for granite, basalt, and shale. The effects <strong>of</strong><br />

radiation on potential geologic host media have generally been considered to be <strong>of</strong> secondary<br />

importance (DOE 1980a). Information from comment letter #25 (Levy, Brookhaven National<br />

Laboratory) has been integrated into Section 5.2.<br />

Issue<br />

One commenter noted that the Statement should contain more discussion <strong>of</strong> (or informa-<br />

tion on) the geology and exploration effort required to support conventionally mined geo-<br />

logic disposal. (12)<br />

Response<br />

From a generic standpoint for the Statement, candidate regions for the four rock type<br />

disposal media were selected based on rock properties, known occurrence, and suitability for<br />

conventional mining techniques. This was done primarily from available literature and no<br />

further breakdown to smaller areas was made. The description <strong>of</strong> a site selection and qual-<br />

ification process is given for the time if and/or when a medium is selected and further<br />

investigations are begun. From this time on geologic exploration and data gathering become<br />

increasingly important at each progressive level until a site is accepted or rejected.<br />

The DOE Position Paper to the NRC rulemaking proceedings on nuclear waste storage and<br />

disposal (DOE 1980a) presents the status <strong>of</strong> the on going geologic exploration programs and<br />

discusses in depth the site exploration, characterization, and selection process.<br />

Issue<br />

The underground firing <strong>of</strong> nuclear explosives results in the formation <strong>of</strong> vitrified<br />

debris, because <strong>of</strong> the solidification <strong>of</strong> molten and vaporized rock. Thousands <strong>of</strong> tons <strong>of</strong><br />

such vitrified debris have been in place for periods <strong>of</strong> up to 25 years, mostly in tuff at

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