Crystalline rocks as a medium for nuclear waste disposal

Crystalline rocks are common for areas of dislocation of radiochemical enterprises in Russia and are the most probable media for construction of underground repositories of irradiated nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The repositories are supposed to be sited in seismically stable blocks with a low speed of vertical movements, where there is no volcanism and mineral resources. Under these conditions, the only mechanism of biosphere pollution is radionuclide transport by ground waters from the repository to environment. The article considers the isolation properties of crystalline rocks and conditions preventing release of radionuclides from underground repositories.