Regulations in the UK require that the risk to individuals resulting from the disposal of radioactive waste should be considered for at least a million years into the future. Laboratory investigation of the responses of the physical, chemical, and geological barriers incorporated in the Nirex disposal concept is clearly not practicable over such timescales. However, naturally occurring examples of analogous materials or processes which have existed over geological timescales do exist, as do archaeological artefacts. These ‘natural analogues’ can provide valuable insights into the long term behaviour of repository materials and processes.
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