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

3-5
3-6
Comment
Number
Comment
Number
on repository performance. The assessment should estimate the actual
3.a.17 p. 7.2.9, DOE/ET-0028
p. 7.2., DOE/ETeffects,
detrimental or beneficial, on repository performance by different The statement that igneous rock "...range in chemical and mineralogical
types of eruptionsa
types of eruption.
composition from granite to closely related rocks such as granodiorite" is
technically true but misleading. The range goes far beyond granodiorite
3.a.3
3.a.13
P. 7.2.3DOE/ET-028
P. 7.2.3,DOE/ET-0028
through gabbro to pyroxenite and dunite.
The credibility of section 7.2.2 is weakened by either a lack of documentation
for the statements (e.g., see pg. 7.2.6 Southwest Florida) or the use of8
very old references (e.g., see 7.2.6 para. 3 on the Supai Formation of the
Holbrook Basin of Arizona) when more recent material should be available.
3.a.18 p.
p.
7.2.9,
7 ,
00E/ET-0028
The statement that granite has "...little ability to deform under stress...
is not true. Under er varying r combinations of the following: (1) high
i no re
natons o the oown hh
confining pressure, (2) elevated temperatures, or (3) when the stresses
3.a.14 p. 7.2.3, DOE/ET-0028 are applied for long time spans, granite will deform.
Figure 7.2.1. was adapted from Y/OWI/TM-44, which was adapted from Pierce
and Rich, USGS Bulletin 1148. The original source should have been used
3.a.19 p. 7.2.9, DOE/ET-0028
in developing this figure. The statement that "granite is mostly composed of silica and mica" is
misleading. Mica makes up a small percent of most granites and quartz
3.a.15 p. 7:2.3, 00E/ET-0028 rarely exceeds 30%. Mention should be made of other minerals common in
The geologic term "Formation" is misused throughout the GEIS. Although granite such as the feldspa and ferromagnesian minerals.
this'appears to be a minor editorial comment, it may have legal ramifications.'The
term is defined in the American Code of Stratigraphic Nomenclature
which is to be found in the Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum
3.a.20 p. 7.2.10, 00E/ET-0028
Th e b a s i c r e f e r e nc e s o f o n
7 and G ul Woodford, and Waters,
Geologists (1961, pp. 645-660). Basically, a formation is a specific rock 1968 Folk's should Petrology be replaced of Sedimentary by reference Rocks to (Hemphill's, one of the Austin, following: Texas), Robert Blatt, L.
unit which has distinctive lithologic characteristics which allows it to
o l k
F
s
et r o logy of Sedimentary Rocks (Hemphils, Austin, Texas) Batt,
be mapped. Sandstone, limestone, shale, granite and basalt are not forma- Mi d d leton, and urray's Origin of Sedimentary Rocks Prentice-Hall or
tionswhereas rock bodies such as the Dakota Sandstone, Salem Limestone, Pettijohn's Sedimentary Rocks, Harper Brothers, N. Y.
Pierre Shale, and Louann Salt are. 3.a.2
3.a.21
7.2.10 D 28
p. 7.2.10, 00E/ET-0028
3.a:16 Contrary to line 5, Table 7.2.1 gives no direct information on the mineral
3.a.-16 p. 7.2.8/7.2.9, DOE/ET-0028
content of shales.
The statement that the "mineral components of granite are almost inactive
chemically under ambient temperature and pressure conditions" is misleading. 3.a.22 7.2.12, DOE/ET-0028
Granite does decompose at surface temperatures and pressure as evidenced
by well developed regoliths found on top of many granites. The statement that basalt is an "extrusive volcanic mafic (high in mag-
Snesium rock silicates) rock" is doubly misleading: (1) Not all basalts
are extrusive, e.g., Palisades Sill, and (2) the mafic minerals are not
limited to magnesium silicates.