Repository analogues -Reply

[FRAMEP@ORAU.GOV]

>I would like to reference the natural reactor found in West Africa
>(Gabon? or Ghana?), but I can't seem to find too many details on it in
>readiliy available literature.  Does anybody have or alternatively can tell
>me where to find information on this natural analogue?

Forgive the following but some radsafers might be unfamiliar with the
"fossil reactor" at Oklo:  Oklo is a uranium deposit in Gabon. Around 1800
million years ago, it went critical and "operated" for approximately
700,000 years releasing about 15,000 megawatt years of energy. This
was possible because the U-235 levels were higher then, than they are
today. Water in the ground served as the moderator. The fission
products seem to have migrated only very small distances,  say less
than 100 m. There are a ton of references, all of mine are old though.

"A Natural Fission Reactor" Sci. American V 235 pp 36-47 July 1976.

"The Oklo Nuclear Reactors: 1800 Million Years Ago" Interdisciplinary Sci.
Rev Vol 1, No 1 1976 pp 72-84.

Los Alamos-type stuff:

"Investigations of the Natural Fission Reactor Program Oct 77-Sept78"
LA-7536-PR, Oct. 1978 Los Alamos Progress Report.
"Oklo- Natural Fission Reactor Program Apr1-June 30 1979." LA-8054-PR
ONWI/Sub/79/E511-011100-7
"Investigations of the Oklo Natural Fission Reactor July 1975-June 1976"
Los Alamos Progress Report LA-6575-PR Nov. 1976. 

There is too much IAEA stuff to cite. Call your local IAEA retail outlet for
assistance. Ours is UNIPUB in Lanham Maryland fax: (301) 459 0056. 
Most of these reports seem to have designations like the following:
IAEA/TC/119/26 or 30 or 35 or 37 etc

Paul Frame
Professional Training Programs
ORISE
framep@orau.gov