Table 4 Summary of analog glass site data

From: Alteration of archeological and natural analogs for radioactive waste glass under different environmental conditions

Site and sample

Average SEM surficial layer thickness, µm

Average air temperature and annual precipitation

Sample age

Description of chemical and mineralogical makeup

Analog advantages

Analog limitations

Timna Tuyère

2 ± 0.2

15 °C, 25 mm annual rainfall. Arid with periodic floods52

3150 ± 50 years

Copper slag (iron-rich glass with fayalite and copper-rich inclusions)

Various alteration timescales, arid, amorphous, known provenance, near surface

Open system, heterogeneous, more arid than IDF, limited alteration

Broborg-BB1b

8 ± 2 (felsic glass), 13 ± 10 (mafic glass)

5 °C, 572 mm annual rainfall96

1500 years

Either mafic-derived glass + spinel + pyroxene or felsic-derived glass + quartz + feldspar

Different glass chemistries, known provenance, near surface

Heterogeneous, challenging surface analyses, more rain than IDF

Ballidon

Variable, depending on sample (>400 µm for replica medieval glass)

9–10 °C, 908 mm annual rainfall81

18–52 years

Silicate, borosilicate, lead-silicate and Fe-phosphate compositions (US, UK and Russian nuclear waste glass)

Different glass chemistries, controlled experiments, high rainfall, near surface

Short alteration timescale, cooler and more rain than IDF

Newberry-MJS-1

9 ± 6

0 °C, 635 mm annual rainfall116,117

1350 years (most recent lava flow)

Obsidian

Homogeneous, natural, known provenance

Not buried, only one glass chemistry

Dobkowice

59 ± 2

0 °C, 700 mm annual rainfall118

2600 years

Soda-lime-silica glass

Various alteration timescales, arid, amorphous, known provenance, near surface

Open system, more rain than IDF, limited number of samples, simple composition

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