Role of micropores within minerals in retardation of mass transfer by matrix diffusion and sorption in granitic rock

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Sasao, Eiji; Hibara, Ryoko*; Murakami, Hiroaki; Ozaki, Yusuke

Heliyon (Internet), 10(17), p.e37417_1 - e37417_17, 2024/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37417

Understanding the mass transfer characteristics of matrix diffusion and sorption is important in geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in crystalline rock. We present a comparative discussion of the effective diffusion coefficient (De), porosity, and petrological data for rock samples collected from the Toki Granite in central Japan, to evaluate the role of micropores within minerals in retardation by matrix diffusion and sorption in granitic rocks. De was derived from the through-diffusion experiments. Petrological data consist of the fracture frequency, the extent of hydrothermal alteration in the minerals, the micropore volume in the minerals, and the three-dimensional modal mineralogy for the target rock samples. The relationship between the De, porosity, and petrological data has the following implications: 1) Micropores act as storage pores that contribute to retardation; 2) Once the uranine, cations, and anion penetrate the micropores in the minerals through matrix diffusion, the cations are sorbed on the micropore surfaces; 3) Regions with a high fracture frequency are associated with not only active advection-dispersion through fractures, but also retardation due to matrix diffusion and sorption.

Study on investigation method of fracture distribution based on data obtained at the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory, central Japan

Sasao, Eiji

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 29(2), p.112 - 118, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnuce.29.2_112

Since fractures in granite act as pathways for groundwater flow and mass transport, understanding of fracture distribution is an important subject for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste. Fracture data obtained through the borehole investigation from ground surface contains errors due to the crossing angle between boreholes and fractures. I studied method of borehole investigation that can effectively characterize the fracture distribution based on fracture information obtained from geological investigation of shaft wall at the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory. As a result, it was found that inclined boreholes captured larger number of fractures than vertical boreholes. Therefore, inclined boreholes are preferable for efficient characterization of the fractures. Fracture orientation at surface exposure is well concordant with that at the shaft, which implies that the drilling direction should be determined based on the result of surface fracture mapping.

Micropores and mass transfer in the formation of myrmekites

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yuasa, Haruka*; Izumino, Yuya*; Nakashima, Kazuo*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

American Mineralogist, 107(3), p.476 - 488, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2021-7956

The methodology and interpretations in this study provide new insights into the mechanism of myrmekite formation in a granitic system. The presence of micropores in the myrmekites and this study clarified that the genesis of micropores is related to the formation of myrmekites in the Toki granite. The results led to an increased understanding of (1) an estimate of mass transfer between the reactant and product minerals, and the inflow and outflow of components with consideration of the volume change due to micropore formation, (2) the factor controlling the formation of micropores during myrmekitization, and (3) the sequential variations in the hydrothermal fluid chemistry during sub-solidus conditions. The micropores act as a migration pathway for hydrothermal fluid and thus enhance the mass transfer within a granitic body starting with the myrmekite formation and continuing through the present day and into the future.

Association of hydrothermal plagioclase alteration with micropores in a granite; Petrographic indicators to evaluate the extent of hydrothermal alteration

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Izumino, Yuya*; Sasao, Eiji

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences (Internet), 117(1), p.220415_1 - 220415_12, 2022/00

https://doi.org/10.2465/jmps.220415

This study presents the use of petrographic plagioclase alteration indicators as a new method for quantitatively evaluating the extent of plagioclase alteration within granites, using the Toki granite, central Japan. Alteration indicators and areal fractions of microvoids in the plagioclases were obtained via BSE image analysis. The volume of the micropores in the altered plagioclase was characterized by the areal fraction of microvoids in the grains. The plagioclase alteration indicators were obtained as the ratio between the alteration product area and the original plagioclase area. In our previous study, we focused on biotite chloritization indicators. We found positive correlations between the plagioclase alteration and biotite chloritization indicators in the same sample, indicating that each alteration indicator can be used independently as a representative value for the sample. In the Toki granite, the plagioclase alteration was related to the biotite chloritization.

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Annual report for fiscal year 2019

Takeuchi, Ryuji; Onoe, Hironori; Murakami, Hiroaki; Watanabe, Yusuke; Mikake, Shinichiro; Ikeda, Koki; Iyatomi, Yosuke; Nishio, Kazuhisa*; Sasao, Eiji

JAEA-Review 2021-003, 63 Pages, 2021/06

JAEA-Review-2021-003.pdf:12.67MB

The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of geological disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment in the crystalline rock (granite) at Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. On the occasion of JAEA reformation in FY2014, JAEA identified three remaining important issues on the geoscientific research program based on the synthesized latest results of research and development (R&D): "Development of countermeasure technologies for reducing groundwater inflow", "Development of modeling technologies for mass transport" and "Development of drift backfilling technologies". At the MIU, the R&D are being pursued with a focus on the remaining important issues from FY2015, and satisfactory results have been achieved. Based on this situation, the R&D on the MIU Project were completed at the end of FY2019. In this report, the results of R&D and construction activities of the MIU Project in FY2019 are summarized.

Petrographic properties of tuffs of the Miocene Mizunami and Iwamura Groups, central Japan

Sasao, Eiji; Danhara, Toru*; Yamashita, Toru*; Hayashi, Joji*

Mizunamishi Kaseki Hakubutsukan Kenkyu Hokoku, (48), p.9 - 19, 2021/05

https://doi.org/10.50897/bmfm.48.0_9

Petrographic description of tuffs in the Miocene Mizunami Group has been made to offer basic data. This report includes the descriptions of 14 and 4 tuff beds in the Mizunami and Iwamura Groups, respectively. Followings are presented in this report; mineral and heavy mineral composition, shape of volcanic glass, and refractive indices of volcanic glass and plagioclase.

K-Ar geochronology for hydrothermal K-feldspar within plagioclase in a granitic pluton; Constraints on timing and thermal condition for hydrothermal alteration

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yagi, Koshi*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Heliyon (Internet), 7(4), p.e06750_1 - e06750_9, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06750

Our methodology and interpretations provide new insight for K-Ar geochronology in hydrothermal microcline within altered plagioclase in a granitic pluton. Our methodology employs a two-step separation process consisting of (1) plagioclase extraction from the rock sample and (2) separation of the hydrothermal microcline from the plagioclase, giving precise determination of microcline powders in K-Ar geochronology. This tighter constraint should provide the ability to better unravel thermal and age histories in granite subject to multi-step alteration processes and complex thermal histories.

Crystallization processes of quartz in a granitic magma; Cathodoluminescence zonation pattern controlled by temperature and titanium diffusivity

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Kato, Takenori*; Yokota, Rintaro*; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 192, p.104289_1 - 104289_16, 2020/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2020.104289

Quartz from a granitic pluton is found to have formed through sequential growth events under different mechanisms and crystallization temperatures, which can provide new insights into magmatic processes of granitic magmas that were eventually consolidified into plutons. The events were identified using (1) the description of crystal shape and occurrence, (2) the study of the internal structure with cathodoluminescence (CL), and (3) derivation of the crystallization temperatures based on TitaniQ thermometry. The magmatic quartz crystals from the Toki granite, central Japan, are characterized as having the following internal structures: oscillatory zonation, no-oscillatory zonation with luminescence graduation (gradational zonation), and heterogeneous CL. The quartz crystals with oscillatory zonation were formed in the temperature range of about 800 C to below 700 C, which is referred to as oscillatory zoning temperature (OZT) conditions. The CL zonation pattern was controlled by the temperature conditions and titanium diffusivity in the melt (magma). The crystallization process of quartz within the Toki granite reveals the cooling processes of the granitic pluton; the lithofacies with a high frequency of oscillatory-zoned quartz underwent slower cooling under the OZT conditions than those in other lithofacies.

History of the Tono Geoscience Center and outline of the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory

Sasao, Eiji

Chishitsu To Chosa, (154), p.67 - 72, 2019/11

JAEA is implementing the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, which is a geoscientific research program in crystalline rock environment in Mizunami City, Japan. This report summarise history, progress and present situation of the project and also history of R&D in the Tono Geoscience Center.

Intense chemical weathering in southwest Japan during the Pliocene warm period

Hatano, Nozomi*; Yoshida, Koki*; Adachi, Yoshiko*; Sasao, Eiji

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 184, p.103971_1 - 103971_13, 2019/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2019.103971

Whole rock major and REE geochemistry and mineral compositions of the Pliocene sediments in southwest Japan reveal the effects of source rock compositions and grain sizes, as well as the relationship between sedimentary environments and the degree of chemical weathering in the Pliocene warm period. A wide variation in the degree of chemical weathering, source rock compositions and grain sizes were observed with vertical and spatial changes in the sedimentary environment. Regardless of the wide variety of source rock compositions and grain sizes, REE and kaolinite-rich clay mineral concentrations in sediments, of which CIA values are generally above 90, are indicative of the intense weathering conditions that prevailed in the Pliocene period (3-4 Ma) in southwest Japan.