Underground Storage - Hydrogeology: Objectives, Methods, Applications - page 306

• stable tectonic environment,

• plasticity allowing minor deformation.

Table 23 Deep Nuclear Waste Storage Projects.

Geologic
formation

Countries
concerned

Advantages Drawbacks

Salt United States

Germany
Russia

Absence of water
Plasticity

Natural resource
Oil trap

France
Sweden
Canada
Switzerland
Japan

Mechanical strength
Low porosity (1%)
Absence of mineral ore

Permeable fractures
Sensitive to tectonics

Granite

Clay France

Belgium

Natural capture of
radioactive cations
High plasticity

Presence of water (20 to 40%)

Fracturable and permeable
when compressed

Volcanic tuff United States Mechanical strength

Absence of mineral ore

High porosity

In France, three sites were studied by the ANDRA (National Agency
for Nuclear Wastes): the Gard clays, the Vienne granite, and the Est clays
(Haute Marne and Meuse). The Gard site was abandoned.