Underground facilities

Preparations for the emplacement of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste to come are also being made underground. For this purpose, many mine openings still need to be driven more than 800 metres below the earth’s surface.

Schematic view of the storage galleries of a storage field

The future emplacement chambers are to be about 42 square metres in diameter, seven metres wide and six metres high. Basically they are to be driven horizontally.

Driving of emplacement chambers

With the court decision on the plan-approval decision of March 2007 and the approval of the main operating plan in 2008, the emplacement chambers can now be driven. An emplacement field consists of several emplacement chambers. Different emplacement fields have been licensed that are to be driven in the iron ore.

Preparation of emplacement field 5

Emplacement operations will start in field 5 which is the first emplacement field consisting of partial fields 5.1 and 5.2. Partial field 5.1 will be prepared while the mine is being concerted to a repository. For this purpose, five emplacement chambers will be driven on the 850-m and the 800-m level south of the Konrad 2 shaft. At the same time, the related unloading chambers, the return air collection roadway and the return air bore holes will be constructed.

Auxiliary ventilation during emplacement operations

The pillar between the neighbouring chambers and the other galleries are about 28 metres thick. The emplacement chambers can be accessed via a 35-m long access road. One return air collection roadway per emplacement field will be built above the access roads to the chambers. The ventilation fans installed ensure the exhaust ventilation during emplacement operations. The return air collection roadways are directly connected to the main ventilation galleries.