Immobilization of High Level Nuclear Reactor Wastes in Synroc: A Current Appraisal

Abstract

ABSTRACTResults are presented for leach testing at 95°C and 200°C of SYNROC containing 9% and 20% simulated high level radioactive waste, synthetic hollandite and pervoskite samples, and natural zirconolite and pervoskite samples. Single phase synthetic minerals show much higher leach rates than natural mineral samples and polyphase SYNROC samples. Natural zirconolite samples with low radiation damage have leach rates at 200°C based on U which are identical to those measured on SYNROC samples. Natural zirconolites with very large accumulated α dose and radiation damage have leach rates at 200°C which are only 5 times higher than those of low dose samples.