Deep Borehole Disposal (DBD) looms as an exciting alternative for countries with small radioactive waste inventories, and where a Deep Geological Repository may not be an economically viable option.
The promise of DBD is to dispose of small amounts of radioactive waste, safely and permanently, in sealed containers surrounded by rock at a depth of 3-5 kilometres.
Tellus is at the forefront of international DBD research, along with our partners at BGE TECHNOLOGY GmbH and The Australian National University.
Subject to financing, we are ready to start the drilling project. We have received final approvals from our mining regulator to drill three exploration boreholes and five research holes.
As Tellus CEO Nate Smith told an audience at the 50th annual Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix, Arizona, this week, Tellus’ facility at Sandy Ridge, in remote Western Australia, is the ideal setting to test the feasibility of DBD. The geology of Sandy Ridge, where Tellus also operates Australia’s only fully licensed DGR, is an ideal location for a field-scale demonstration of DBD.
And the adjacent Sandy Ridge Labs has the expertise and the personnel to manage and monitor the project.
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