Illite in the Oklo Natural Fission Reactors in Gabon: Considerations for Cs Containment

MRS Online Proceedings Library volume 353, pages1203–1210(1994)Cite this article

Abstract

The ∼2 Ga old Oklo, Okelobondo and Bangombé natural reactors in the Republic of Gabon contain solid graphitic bitumens and clay minerals, both of which have effected the containment, or partial containment, of 235U and several fission products. In laboratory experiments, sorption of 134Cs by illite, and illite coated with petroleum was measured in aqueous NaCl solutions to simulate subsurface (connate) waters in sedimentary rocks. Elevated temperatures and increasing salinity of the NaCl solutions facilitated the removal of sorbed cesium from illite.

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Affiliations

  1. Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, 1221 Budapest, Anna utca 5, H-1775, Budafok 1, P.O. Box 101, Hungary

    Gyula Szabó & Judit Guczi

  2. Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Department of Geosciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA

    Bartholomew Nagy

  3. Uniwersytet Slaski, Wydzial Nauk o Ziemi, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Ul. Bedzinska 60, Poland

    Janusz Janeczek

  4. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, USA

    Rodney C. Ewing

Authors
  1. Gyula Szabó
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  2. Judit Guczi
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  3. Bartholomew Nagy
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  4. Janusz Janeczek
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  5. Rodney C. Ewing
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Correspondence to Gyula Szabó.

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Szabó, G., Guczi, J., Nagy, B. et al. Illite in the Oklo Natural Fission Reactors in Gabon: Considerations for Cs Containment. MRS Online Proceedings Library 353, 1203–1210 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-353-1203

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