99. 



4. Natural caverns and artificial excavations, including artificial 

 solution cavities. 



A. Natural Caverns. Natural Caverns are in the zone of potable 

 water and leak like sieves. They are totally unsuitable for 

 disposal of liquid wastes. They would be usable for dry im- 

 mobilized wastes. Also, a dry cavern above water table 

 would be suitable for dry wastes that were not immobilized 

 but that were suitably packaged. 



B. Abandoned Mines . 



(1) Shallow mines are similar to caverns in that most are 

 wet and even the dry ones would probably leak if filled 

 with liquid wastes. Evaporated solids in cans could be 

 stored in shallow dry mines. 



(2) Deep mines are commonly below the water table and are 

 dry. A deep dry mine (not on a fissure vein deposit) 

 would definitely be suitable for storage of dry wastes in 

 containers and might be suitable for liquid wastes. Heat 

 would be a problem, but could probably be solved. One 

 difficulty would be to find a mine that the owners would 

 be willing to abandon. 



(3) Significant parts of discussion. 



Abandoned mines are very close in structure to natural 

 caverns . 



Real deep mines are dry. Canned peaches have been 

 taken from mines after twenty years' storage and the cans 

 are still bright and shiny and free of rust. 



Deep mines might be difficult to obtain because they 

 are expensive and, even if unused, the owners might be 

 reluctant to part with them. 



There is a mine in Ontario in a pre -Cambrian formation 

 in the middle of a lake. No water has ever been pumped 

 from it. 



If deep, dry, non-vein mines below the zone of ground 

 water table can be found, they may be suitable. If the 



