This report talks about some of the current domestic and international research activities of the Office of Mineral Resources, Geological Division of the USGS.

A combination of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with backscattered electron detection (SEM/BSE), and analytical electron microscopy (AEM) is being used to determine the nature of uranium in soils from the Fernald Environmental Management Project. The information gained from these studies is being used to develop and test remediation technologies. Investigations using SEM have shown that uranium is contained within particles that are typically 1 to 100 micrometers in diameter. Further analysis with AEM has shown that these uranium-rich regions are made up of discrete uranium-bearing phases. The distribution of these uranium phases was found to be inhomogeneous at the microscopic level.

A program was established for DOE Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) to evaluate factors that are anticipated to affect waste glass reaction during repository disposal, especially in an unsaturated environment typical of what may be expected for the proposed Yucca Mountain repository site.

This annual report on the ANL environmental protection program provides the DOE, environmental agencies, and the public with information on the levels of radioactive and chemical pollutants in the vicinity of ANL and on the amounts, if any, added to the environment by ANL operations. It also summarizes compliance of ANL operations with applicable environmental laws and regulations and highlights significant accomplishments and problems related to environmental protection. The report follows the guidelines given in DOE Order 5400.1.

The Generic TRUEX Model was used to develop a TRUEX process flowsheet for recovering the transuranics (plutonium, americium) from a nitrate waste stream at Rocky Flats Plant. T\

Annual report of the Argonne National Laboratory Chemical Technology Division (CMT) discussing the group's activities during 1992. These included electrochemical technology; fossil fuel research; hazardous waste research; nuclear waste programs; separation science and technology; integral fast reactor pyrochemical processes; actinide recovery; applied physical chemistry; basic chemistry research; and analytical chemistry.

Abstract: "This report presents a U.S. Bureau of Mines study that incorporates coal mining factors, cola recovery factors, and economic factors into the definition of an economically recoverable coal resource. The relationship between these factors to the Energy Information Administration's estimate of U.S. coal resources--the "Demonstrated Reserve Base"--is discussed. The Boltsfork 7 1/2-minute quadrangle in eastern Kentucky was selected as the stud area. Results indicate that of the original 280.2 M tons of resource in the quadrangle, only 99.8 M tons (35.6%) is recoverable at a mining cost of $25 per ton or less" (p. 1).

In a long-term program that began in 1984, limestone and marble briquettes have been exposed to both anthropogenic acid deposition and natural weathering at four field sites in the eastern United States.

The use of high-temperature superconductors in current leads to reduce refrigeration power has been investigated by many groups in the past.

The following report presents detailed lethologic and conodont biostratigraphic data from four measured sections in the lower part of the Oquirrh Group in the Oquirrh Mountains of Utah and the Deep Creek and Samaria Mountains of Idaho.

Borosilicate glass is to be used for permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste in a geologic repository. Mechanistic chemical models are used to predict the rate at which radionuclides will be released from the glass under repository conditions. The most successful and useful of these models link reaction path geochemical modeling programs with a glass dissolution rate law that is consistent with transition state theory. These models have been used to simulate several types of short-term laboratory tests of glass dissolution and to predict the long-term performance of the glass in a repository. Although mechanistically based, the current models are limited by a lack of unambiguous experimental support for some of their assumptions. The most severe problem of this type is the lack of an existing validated mechanism that controls long-term glass dissolution rates. Current models can be improved by performing carefully designed experiments and using the experimental results to validate the rate-controlling mechanisms implicit in the models. These models should be supported with long-term experiments to be used for model validation. The mechanistic basis of the models should be explored by using modern molecular simulations such as molecular orbital and molecular dynamics to investigate both the glass structure and …

A report about the Crummies Member of the Breathitt Formation which is a marine unit archaically called the Cannelton Limestone located in the Kanawha River valley of West Virginia.

From introduction: This report presents the results of a movable-bed model investigation concerned with the development of plans for the improvement of the Dogtooth Bend reach of the Mississippi River.

Development of an improved semi-mechanistic-based set of correlation parameters for nucleation-dominant flow-boiling heat transfer in small channels is described.

Magnetic particles (MAG*SEP(sup SM)) coated with various absorbents were evaluated for the separation and recovery of low concentrations of cesium from nuclear waste solutions. The MAG*SEP(sup SM) particles were coated with (1) clinoptilolite, (2) transylvanian volcanic tuff, (3) resorcinol formaldehyde, and (4) crystalline silico-titanate, and then were contacted with a Hanford supernatant simulant. Particles coated with the crystalline silico-titanate were identified by Bradtec as having the highest capacity for cesium removal under the conditions tested (variation of pH, ionic strength, cesium concentration, and absorbent/solution ratio). The MAG*SEP(sup SM) particles coated with resorcinol formaldehyde had high distribution ratios values and could also be used to remove cesium from Hanford supernant simulant. Gamma irradiation studies were performed on the MAG*SEP(sup SM) particles with a gamma dose equivalent to 100 cycles of use. This irradiation decreased the loading capacity and distribution ratios for the particles by greater than 75%. The particles demonstrated high sensitivity to radiolytic damage due to the degradation of the polymeric regions. These results were supported by optical microscopy measurements. Overall, use of magnetic particles for cesium separation under nuclear waste conditions was found to be marginally effective.

The aim of the Review is to present a statement on the status of fuel cell development in Europe, addressing the research, development and demonstration (RD & D) and commercialization activities being undertaken, identifying key European organizations active in development and commercialization of fuel cells and detailing their future plans. This document describes the RD & D activities in Europe on alkaline, phosphoric acid, polymer electrolyte, direct methanol, solid oxide, and molten carbonate fuel cell types. It describes the European Commission`s activities, its role in the European development of fuel cells, and its interaction with the national programs. It then presents a country-by-country breakdown. For each country, an overview is given, presented by fuel cell type. Scandinavian countries are covered in less detail. American organizations active in Europe, either in supplying fuel cell components, or in collaboration, are identified. Applications include transportation and cogeneration.

The following report is meant to evaluate whether the information on oocyte size improves ability to predict ovary weight from body weight, and we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of different sample sizes for characterizing egg size.

From abstract: The report for document C is about the tectonic trends of the northern part of the Paradox Basin of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, as derived from Landsat multispectral scanner imaging and geophysical and geologic mapping. The report for document D is about an uncontrolled X-band airborn radar-image mosaic that was compiled for the western three-fifths of the Moab 1° x 2° quadrangle of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.

This manual describes the use of the Extensible PDE Solvers package for the solution of elliptic PDEs.

The COMMIX-M computer code, which describes steady-state and transient single- and multi-component flows in engineering systems, has been implemented to simulate suspension flows in laminar regimes and turbulent and bubbly particulate flows. This report presents a synopsis of the present code's capabilities, with particular emphasis on the recent development of turbulence models, and explains in detail the modifications necessary to simulate particulate flows and bubbly flows. First results of computations of turbulent bubbly and particulate flows are then given and compared with results of computations reported in the literature and with preliminary experimental results obtained at the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany).

The radiolytic yields of hydrogen nitrogen, oxygen, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide from two batches of WHC-supplied samples of grouted simulated waste have been (gamma) irradiated at several dose rates (0.025, 0.63 and 130 krad/h for hydrogen and 130 krad/h for all other gases). In one batch, the liquid waste simulant that was added to the grout included the original components that were added to Tank 102-AP (labeled "virgin" waste.) The second batch included a similar liquid waste simulant that was preirradiated to 35 Mrad prior to incorporation into the grout. It is believed that the preirradiated samples more closely represent radioactive waste that was stored in the tank for several years. The lowest dose rate corresponds approximately to that expected in the grout; with the high dose rate, doses equivalent to about 85 years storage in grout vaults were achieved. Most of the results on the batch of virgin samples have been reported recently (Report ANL 93/42). Here we report the results from the batch of preirradiated grout samples and compare the results from the two batches. The radiolytic yields of hydrogen and nitrogen are lower in the preirradiated than in the virgin grout. On the other hand G(oxygen) …

Report on proposed channel improvements downstream from Prado Dam in order to provide sufficient protection for the highly urbanized lower Santa Ana floodplain.

The following report presents geochemical data results of 34 elements in 951 samples of altered and mineralized rock samples from mines, prospects, dumps, and drillholes in the Tonopah quadrangle, Nevada.

The following report documents results taken from a reconnaissance geochemical survey that was conducted in the northwest-trending Alexander terrane, Gravina-Nutzotin overlap assemblage, and Taku terrane in southeast Alaska in the Craig and Dixon Entrance quadrangles and the western edges of the Ketchikan and Prince Rupert quadrangles.