Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository

Jacob Moore

General Information

• Nuclear waste is currently located in more than 120 locations in 39 states. 

• Temporary storage• US Department of

energy: 1978• Yucca proposed to be

permanent

Why Yucca?

• Geology!!– Successive eruptions 11-

14 million years ago deposited ash

– Welded tuff– Very low porosity and

permeability– Repository depth of 1,000’– Average height above

water table: 1,000’– Should contain waste for

the required 10,000 years

Potential Problems

• Seismic activity– Yucca lies in the Basin and Range province– Quaternary and historical earthquake activity– Several active faults surrounding the

repository site

• Volcanism– Effective volcanism during 10,000 year

compliance period is 1 in1,000 to 1 in 10,000– Cinder cones

Important!!!

• There is a huge amount of extremely dangerous radioactive waste just chillin in the United States and more is produced every day.

• It will still be here in thousands and thousands of years

• It is important that it is stored in a safe place

Thank you

• www.ocrwm.doe.gov

• www.nbmg.unr.edu

• “Volcanic Hazard At Proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository Greater Than Previously Thought” ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2002) www.sciencedaily.com