18.7 kilometers of continuous rock core were extracted from deep boreholes drilled near Sellafield and Dounreay between 1989 and 1997. The British Geological Survey holds this collection, which was generated to assess sites for a deep radioactive waste repository. Core samples were analyzed for petrological, mineralogical, hydrogeological, geophysical, and geotechnical parameters.
Use Cases
- Analyze petrological and mineralogical parameters from core samples to characterize rock formations for geological modeling.
- Use hydrogeological and geophysical parameters from the core data to assess groundwater flow and rock stability for repository safety.
- Correlate geotechnical parameters with borehole locations to map subsurface mechanical properties across the investigation sites.
Strengths
- Substantial 18.7 km total length of continuous rock core provides a detailed physical record of the subsurface.
- Data acquisition employed multiple techniques including coring, geophysical logging, hydraulic testing, and groundwater analysis.
- Investigations cover two distinct UK sites (Sellafield, Cumbria and Dounreay, Caithness) over an 8-year period from 1989 to 1997.
Limitations
- The dataset's structure, specific column names, and sample-level accessibility are not described in the provided input.
- Data is from a concluded investigation program (1989-1997) and may not reflect current subsurface conditions.
- The total drilling at the Dounreay site (2,286 meters) is significantly less extensive than at the Sellafield site.
Provenance
- Source
- British Geological Survey (BGS), originally from NIREX (Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive).
- Collection Method
- Continuous coring from deep boreholes, supplemented by geophysical wireline logging, hydraulic testing, and sample analysis.
- Time Range
- 1989 to 1997
- Freshness
- Metadata indicates a recent update in March 2026, though the underlying core data is from 1989-1997.
- Geography
- Sites near Sellafield, Cumbria and Dounreay, Caithness, United Kingdom.