Groundwater chemistry at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, and vicinity

Kerrisk, J.F.

doi:10.2172/60103

Cited by 24 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Hydrochemical and isotopic data and analyses from boreholes at or near Yucca Mountain were reported by Winograd and Thordarson (1975), Benson and others (1983), Benson and McKinley (1985), Claassen (1985), Kerrisk (1987), McKinley and others (1991), Stuckless, Whelan, and Steinkampf (1991), Thomas and others (1991), and Perfect and others (1995).…”

mentioning

confidence: 74%

Status of understanding of the saturated-zone ground-water flow system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as of 1995

1996

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mentioning

confidence: 74%

Status of understanding of the saturated-zone ground-water flow system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as of 1995

1996

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“…82 Heat capacity terms for equation Cp = k o + kiT -~ + k2 T-2 + k3~1 ~3 in units of J/mol.K estimated using Berman and Brown (1985). (Kerrisk 1987), well J-t3 water (Delany 1985), pore water obtained from Topopah Spring Tuff (Yang 1992) and projected water compositions using J-13 water equilibrated with Topopah Spring Tuff samples at elevated temperatures (Delany 1985;Peifer 1985, 1987;Knauss, Beiriger, Peifer and Piwinskii 1985;Knauss and Peifer 1986). Gray shading depicts the 90-~ data, black depicts the 150-~ data and striped depicts the 250-~ data.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the present calculations, initial cation concentrations in the fluid phase were assumed to approximate the current concentrations measured in Yucca Mountain ground water (Kerrisk 1987;Perfect et al 1995). Pressure was constrained such that all calculations were conducted on the liquid side of the water liquidvapor curve.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equilibrium Modeling of Clinoptilolite-Analcime Equilibria at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA

Bish

1997

Clays and clay miner.

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Abstract--Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is being investigated to determine its suitability to host a potential high-level radioactive waste respository. An important reason for its choice as a potential repository site was the presence of thick zeolite-rich horizons in the altered volcanic tufts that compose the mountain. Clinoptilolite is the most abundant zeolite at Yucca Mountain and may be important in radionuclide retardation and in determining hydrologic properties. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the geochemical conditions affecting its long-term stability. For example, it has been suggested that long-term, repository-induced heating of the rocks at Yucca Mountain may lead to the transformation of clinoptilolite to analcime, thereby significantly affecting the hydrologic properties and retardation capabilities of the rock.Thermodynamic modeling of clinoptilolite-analcime equilibria was conducted with the program Ge0-Calc PTA-SYSTEM using estimated thermodynamic data for measured chemical compositions of clinoptilolite and analcime at Yucca Mountain. Log[(aK+)2/aCa 2+] versus log[(aNa+)2/aCa 2 § diagrams were calculated to model the conditions under which clinoptilolite may transform to analcime. Temperature, relative cation abundances and silica activity are all important factors in determining clinoptilolite-analcime equilibria. Increased Na § concentrations in either clinoptilolite or the fluid phase, increased clinoptilolite K § concentration, increased temperature and decreased aqueous silica activity all stabilize analcime relative to clinoptilolite, assuming present-day Yucca Mountain water compositions. However, increased Ca 2 § concentrations in either clinoptilolite or the fluid phase, increased aqueous K § concentration and increased AI:Si ratios in clinoptilolite (heulandite) all stabilize clinoptilolite with respect to analcime.Assuming well J-13 water as the analog chemistry for Yucca Mountain water, clinoptilolite should remain stable with respect to analcime if temperatures in the clinoptilolite-bearing horizons do not significantly exceed 100 ~ Even if temperatures rise significantly (for example, to 150 ~ not all clinoptilolite should alter to analcime. Perhaps more importantly, thermodynamic modeling suggests that some Yucca Mountain clinoptilolites, particularly those rich in Ca and A1, will remain stable at elevated temperatures, even with an aqueous silica activity at quartz saturation.

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“…Generally, the saturated-zone fluids have pHs in the range of 7-8 (but have been measured as low as 6.7 or as high ar, 9.4), and contain the cations ea2', K' , and Mg2+, and the anions SO: -, C1-, F-, and NO,-in order of decreasing concentration. The ground water from the deep Paleozoic carbonate aquifer (sampled from well UE-25p#1) is more highly concentrated with respect to all these constituents except aqueous silica and is characterized by pH values slightly lower than 7 (Ogard and Kerrisk, 1984;Kerrisk, 1987). The saturated-zone water analyses suggest that these fluids are, in general, relatively oxidized, but a few samples may indicate reducing conditions at depth (Ogard and Kerrisk, 1984).…”

Section: Geo-environmental Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measurements of ground-water compositions from the saturated zone indicate that the fluids within the tuffaceous units (as represented by samples from well 5-13) are predominantly dilute sodium-bicarbonate fluids with high concentrations of aqueous silica (Benson et al, 1983;Ogard and Kerrisk, 1984;Kerrisk, 1987). Generally, the saturated-zone fluids have pHs in the range of 7-8 (but have been measured as low as 6.7 or as high ar, 9.4), and contain the cations ea2', K' , and Mg2+, and the anions SO: -, C1-, F-, and NO,-in order of decreasing concentration.…”

Section: Geo-environmental Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Total system performance assessment - 1995: An evaluation of the potential Yucca Mountain repository

Atkins¹,

Lee²,

Lingineni³

et al. 1995

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Groundwater chemistry at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, and vicinity

Cited by 24 publications

References 9 publications

Status of understanding of the saturated-zone ground-water flow system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as of 1995

Status of understanding of the saturated-zone ground-water flow system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as of 1995

Equilibrium Modeling of Clinoptilolite-Analcime Equilibria at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, USA

Total system performance assessment - 1995: An evaluation of the potential Yucca Mountain repository

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