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Safer Nuclear Power
Out of sight, out of harm's way
  (+12)(+12)
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The debate as to whether we should opt for nuclear power in this country is getting quite heated.

The problem is that the Greens don't want to risk a Chernobyl, anywhere in "their" hemisphere.

The solution, not ever implemented to my knowledge, is to rework existing deep underground mines, converting them to underground nuclear power stations. Care should be taken to ensure they are in geologically stable areas.

Then, if there is an incident, it is far easier to stopper the shaft, and deal with what little radioactive waste escapes.

You know it makes sense.


UnaBubba, Jun 02 2006

Off Shore Nuclear Power I_20Got_20Your_20Nu...ctor_20Right_20Here
[theircompetitor, Jun 02 2006]

Hot rock energy http://hotrock.anu.edu.au/resource.htm
leave the isotopes in the ground to start with [greyfiend, Jun 06 2006]

[link]






       And if there is an accident and we find survivors, we can manufacture them into faux heroes. Right?
Seriously though, I don't think the objection to nuclear power is based on how dangerous it is, but on what to do with the waste. Maybe bury it deep underground using disused mine shafts...

methinksnot, Jun 02 2006
  

       Geez, now there's an idea. Bury the waste further down in the mine.   

       I don't know whether Webb and Russell are faux heroes or real ones. They were buried 925metres underground in a rockfall. Both suffered spinal damage and were partially crushed, one up to his shoulders in rocks.   

       They dug each other out, then waited 6 days in a space about half the size of a phone booth before a team got an 8in diam drill through the 36 metres of rock between them and the rescue team, to pass them food and water.   

       Still jammed in that little space, it then took another 8 days to make a tunnel big enough to get them out. They ***walked*** out of the mine at 6am on the 15th day and attended the funeral of the third man in their crew at 2pm that afternoon.   

       Tough, yes. Heroes? Well, that's the word the media have been using. I think the rescue team should be lauded as heroes.

UnaBubba, Jun 02 2006
  

       So long as they're not Uranium mines :)

theircompetitor, Jun 02 2006
  

       I'm not sure about the rest of the world, [tc], but uranium mines here are open cut operations.

UnaBubba, Jun 02 2006
  

       I wonder if the nuclear waste could be launched out into space?

BJS, Jun 03 2006
  

       There was an Australian initiative about 25 years ago, called SynRock. The waste was to be fused into glass and then buried. It appeared that it would work, but I think a US company bought the technology and shelved it.

UnaBubba, Jun 04 2006
  

       Troglopower.

wagster, Jun 05 2006
  

       The prblem with burying waste is that small movements in the rock (doe to tectonic drift etc) can cause leaks into underground resevoirs which can polute water supplies. The greens actually want huge cost above ground storage containers so that the waste can be stored and also monitored. Trouble is, in the UK, the population density of most areas would be the most hindering factor.

miasere, Jun 05 2006
  

       //Troglopower// ...well, I laughed.

moomintroll, Jun 05 2006
  

       [miasere], send it to France. They left Muraroa Atoll for others to clean up.

UnaBubba, Jun 05 2006
  

       G'day mates,   

       I think the answer here might be 'hot rock energy' which is being investigated in AUS(link), from what I can gather it involves putting water in big pipes 5km+ into the ground where isotopes in things like granite are decaying, water in the pipes heats up and steam comes to the surface to power a turbine. Natural nuclear power without digging the horrible stuff up in the first place.   

       Australia has the uranium, be prepared to be owned by the occas oi oi oi.

greyfiend, Jun 06 2006
  

       Don't tell 'em, or they'll just come and take it. Look what happened to Iraq.

UnaBubba, Jun 06 2006
  

       You dance with the devil...   

       Howard and Bush they were lovers, oh lordy how they could love, swore to be true to each other...

greyfiend, Jun 06 2006
  
      
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