Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (New Mexico) Candidate Site Geology

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Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (New Mexico)
Candidate Site Geology
Dennis W. Powers
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Stratigraphy

• 1000 m halite and some anhydrite
• Thick beds in Castile
• Thinner beds in Salado
• Low natural gamma in Castile

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Castile Halite

• Low natural gamma
• Large density contrast
• Thick units
• Varying depth

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Salado Halite

• Variable bed thickness
• Variable density
• Clay, K-minerals provide gamma
• Variable depth

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Excavation costs 25/m3
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Ancient(?) Bacteria in Dissolution Pipes

• Synsedimentary
• Depth controlled by water (brine) table of the
  day
• Coarse halite, large fluid inclusions
• Different species?
• Evolving upward?

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Interesting Evaporite Problems

• Ancient viable bacteria
• Confirm presence extend range (lateral
  vertical)
• Molecular evolution rates
• Old genetic material
• Understanding ultra-low permeability
• Does Darcys law apply?
• How do you test such properties?
• Different coupled processes
• Hydrologic methods/modeling applied to
  dissolution
• Local scale for disturbed rock zone interactions
• End-Permian environments
• Sea-water and meteoric water composition
• High-order cycles reflecting global conditions