We are very pleased to welcome Professor Claire Corkhill, Chair in Nuclear Material Degradation, University of Sheffield, who will be delivering the School Seminar
Title
Uranium mineralogy and geochemistry in a geological disposal facility for radioactive waste
Abstract
The final disposal of the UK's inventory of radioactive waste, including uranium- and plutonium-bearing materials, will be in an underground facility, several hundreds of metres below the surface. Here, the waste will be slowly dissolved by groundwater, forming secondary mineral phases and a range of soluble species. This talk will explore the geochemical and mineralogical factors that influence the dissolution reactions of radioactive waste, as well as examining the role that 1-billion year old uranium minerals play in providing confidence in the safety of a geological disposal facility.