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The Hyrkkölä Native Copper Mineralization: a Natural Analoguefor Copper Canisters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

Nuria Marcos Perea
Nuria Marcos Perea*
Affiliation:
Helsinki University of Technology, Engineering Geology & Geophysics Lab, FIN-02150 Espoo, FINLAND
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Abstract

The Hyrkkölä U-Cu mineralization is located in south-western Finland, nearthe Palmottu analog site, in crystalline, metamorphic bedrock. The age ofthe mineralization is estimated to be between 1.8 and 1.7 Ga. The existenceof native copper and copper sulfides in open fractures in the near-surfacezone allows us to study the native copper corrosion process in conditionsanalogous to a nuclear fuel waste repository.

From the study of mineral assemblages or paragenesis, it appears that theformation of copper sulfide (djurleite, Cu1.934S) after nativecopper (Cu°) under anoxic (reducing) conditions is enhanced by theavailability of dissolved hydrogen sulfide (HS) in the groundwatercirculating in open fractures in the near-surface zone. The minimumconcentration of HS in the groundwater is estimated to be of the order of 10-5 M (∼ 10-4 g/1) and the minimum pH value notlower than about 7.8 as indicated by the presence of calcite crystals in thesame fracture.

The present study is the first one performed on occurrences of native copperin reducing, neutral to slightly alkaline groundwaters. Thus, the dataobtained is of most relevance in improving models of anoxic corrosion ofcopper canisters.

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Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 465: Symposium II – Scienfific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XX , 1996 , 1153
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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