yucca mountain nuclear waste repository
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Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. Jacob Moore. General Information. Nuclear waste is currently located in more than 120 locations in 39 states. Temporary storage US Department of energy: 1978 Yucca proposed to be permanent. Why Yucca?. Geology!! - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository
Jacob Moore
General Information
• Nuclear waste is currently located in more than 120 locations in 39 states.
• Temporary storage• US Department of
energy: 1978• Yucca proposed to be
permanent
Why Yucca?
• Geology!!– Successive eruptions 11-
14 million years ago deposited ash
– Welded tuff– Very low porosity and
permeability– Repository depth of 1,000’– Average height above
water table: 1,000’– Should contain waste for
the required 10,000 years
Potential Problems
• Seismic activity– Yucca lies in the Basin and Range province– Quaternary and historical earthquake activity– Several active faults surrounding the
repository site
• Volcanism– Effective volcanism during 10,000 year
compliance period is 1 in1,000 to 1 in 10,000– Cinder cones
Important!!!
• There is a huge amount of extremely dangerous radioactive waste just chillin in the United States and more is produced every day.
• It will still be here in thousands and thousands of years
• It is important that it is stored in a safe place
Thank you
• www.ocrwm.doe.gov
• www.nbmg.unr.edu
• “Volcanic Hazard At Proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository Greater Than Previously Thought” ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2002) www.sciencedaily.com