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Reaction of bentonites with pyrite concentrate after wetting and drying cycles at 80°C: relevance to radioactive waste (Radwaste) storage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

M. Osacky ,
V. Šucha ,
M. Miglierini  and
J. Madejová
M. Osacky*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2V4 Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
V. Šucha
Affiliation:
Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
M. Miglierini
Affiliation:
Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering, Slovak University of Technology, Ilkovičova 3, 81219 Bratislava, Slovakia Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17 listopadu 12, 77146 Olomouc, Czech Republic
J. Madejová
Affiliation:
Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84536 Bratislava, Slovakia
*
*E-mail: mosacky@hotmail.com
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Abstract

The mineral stability of two bentonites was studied in the presence of pyrite concentrate to simulate the possible reactions between the bentonite barrier used in a high-level nuclear waste (HLW) repository and host rock containing up to 5 wt.% of admixed pyrite. Smectite was the only bentonite mineral affected by pyrite treatment under the experimental conditions used. Bentonites reacted differently with pyrite due to the different nature of the smectites. The distinct crystal chemistry of the smectites controlled by the composition of the parent rocks influenced the smectite surface properties (cation exchange capacity and layer charge distribution) which resulted in a different response of the bentonites to pyrite treatment. A partial transformation of the original smectites into H-smectites represented the initial stage of smectite destabilization on acid attack. Rising non-equivalent isomorphous substitution in the octahedral sheets of the smectites enhanced smectite reactivity and thus the reaction between bentonite and pyrite, causing lower stability of the bentonite containing high-charge smectite.

Keywords

bentonitesmectitelayer chargepyrite oxidationstabilitywetting and dryinghigh-level nuclear radioactive waste storagenuclear waste repositoryradwasteHLW
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 47 , Issue 4 , December 2012 , pp. 465 - 479
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2012

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