Uranium Deposits Capped by Permafrost Seen as Natural Analogues of a Geological Repository Considering the Upcoming Climate Cooling Period

Abstract

The article evaluates the conditions at the site proposed for a geological radioactive waste (RW) disposal facility (DGR) considering the scenario of the upcoming climate cooling. The evaluation is based on the analogy method with the comparison made against modern conditions explored at uranium deposits confined to the permafrost zone. The analogy is based on modern hydrogeological data from the Transbaikalia deposits explored using the underground borehole leaching method. This method yields no significant disturbance of the groundwater flow patterns. The study provides comparative analysis of climatic, geological and hydrogeological characteristics of the DGR siting area in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and those of uranium deposits in Transbaikalia. The limitations of this method have been validated. The paper highlights the main characteristics of groundwater flows in sub-permafrost aquifers. The results obtained may prove to be helpful in the development of models demonstrating radionuclide transport from the DGR developed at the Yeniseiskiy site.