In China, the construction of a major spiral tunnel in the Beishan underground laboratory is complete, which is one of the world’s largest sites for nuclear waste disposal research. This is reported by the publication Naked Science, citing the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
The facility is situated approximately 560 meters deep beneath the Gobi Desert in Gansu Province. Its main purpose is to study and refine long-term and secure isolation technologies for radioactive waste, including high-level waste, which necessitates dependable containment for hundreds of thousands of years.
The chief scientist of CNNC and lead designer of the project, Wang Ju, noted that nuclear power remains a highly efficient and low-carbon energy source. Furthermore, about 99% of the radioactive waste generated is low- and intermediate-level and naturally decays to safe levels over time.
The Beishan project has been underway for nearly three decades. The site was selected due to its ancient and robust granite base, which ensures rock stability. The new spiral tunnel spans about 6.9 kilometers in length and has a diameter of approximately seven meters.
Construction was complicated by extremely hard rock and sharp turns in the route. A specially developed Chinese tunneling complex, “Beishan No. 1,” was used for the excavation. In the future, the facility is intended to become an international platform for exchanging expertise and technologies in radioactive waste management.
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