The Pocos de Caldas Project: Natural Analogues of Processes in a Radioactive Waste Repository

PART 1. The Pocos de Caldas Project: an introduction and summary of its implications for radioactive waste disposal. The regional geology of the Poços de Caldas alkaline complex: mineralogy and geochemistry of selected nepheline syenites and phonolites. Hydrothermal and supergene uranium mineralization at the Osamu Utsumi mine, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The supergene thorium and rare-earth element deposit at Morro do Ferro, Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Origin and growth rates of pitchblende nodules at the Osamu Utsumi mine, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Isotopic geochemical characterization of selected nepheline syenites and phonolites from the Poços de Caldas alkaline complex, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Geomorphological and hydrogeological features of the Poços de Caldas caldera analogue study sites. Ground water chemistry and geochemical modeling of water-rock interactions at the Osamu Utsumi mine and the Morro do Ferro analogue study sites, Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Natural decay series studies of the redox front system in the Poços de Caldas uranium mineralization. The interpretation of ²³⁸U-²³⁴U-²³⁰Th-²²⁶Ra disequilibria produced by rock water interactions. Uranium and thorium isotopes in groundwaters from the Osamu Utsumi mine and Morro do Ferro natural analogue sites, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Rare-earth elements in groundwaters from the Osamu Utsumi mine and Morro do Ferro analogue study sites, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Light rare earth elements and natural series radionuclides within the Morro do Ferro. Chemical and physical characterization of suspended particles and colloids in waters from the Osamu Utsumi mine and Morro do Ferro analogue study sites, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Microbiological analysis at the Poços de Caldas natural analogue study sites. Testing models of trace element geochemistry at Poços de Caldas. Movement of the redox front at the Osamu Utsumi uranium mine, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Geochemical modelling of uranium redistribution in the Osamu Utsumi mine, Poços de Caldas. Redox front geochemistry and weathering: theory with application to the Osamu Utsumi uranium mine, Poços de Caldas, Brazil. Near-field high temperature transport: evidence from the genesis of the Osamu Utsumi uranium mine, Poços de Caldas alkaline complex, Brazil. PART II. Natural analogues for the design and performance of radioactive waste forms: a review. Natural analogues for predicting the reliability of the engineered barrier system for high-level waste. Using data from natural environments to improve models of uranium speciation in groundwaters. A review of the application of natural analogues in performance assessment: improving models of radionuclide transport in groundwaters. A natural analogue of high pH cement pore waters from the Maqarin area of northern Jordan. I: introduction to the site. A natural analogue of high pH cement pore waters from the Maqarin area of northern Jordan. II: results of predictive geochemical calculations.