Clear writing and analysis of the broad spectrum of processes that produce shale are coupled with well-captioned 150 illustrations, 40 tables, boxed technical details, glossary and appendices. Recounts the step-by-step evolution and stages of shal, enabling readers to master the basics and to dig yet deeper into their origin, practical implications and relationship to earth history. Background information appears in appendices (Clay Mineralogy, Isotopes, Petrology, etc.); technicial details in high-lighted boxes, and definitions of 300+ terms in the Glossary.

Sealing of boreholes and underground excavations has not received much engineering attention until fairly recently. The growing awareness of and sensitivity to environmental concerns of the technical community as well as of the public at large has resulted in an increasing recognition of the fact that these geological penetrations may have an environmental impact. The issue of possible contamination resulting from migration along boreholes, adits, shafts or tunnels unquestionably has been raised most forcefully with in the context of nuclear waste disposal. Several nuclear waste disposal programs, notably the Civilian and the Defence programs of the US De partment of Energy, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Canadian and Swedish radioactive waste disposal programs have conducted major research efforts aimed at developing adequate seal designs for penet rations in host rock formations for high-level nuclear waste repositories. While a considerable data base has been gathered over the last two decades or so with regard to the performance of seals, most of the information is presented in research reports and widely scattered papers in journals and proceedings of conferences. Hence, the materials are not readily accessible to potential users such as designers, contractors or regulators who are not familiar with nuclear waste disposal programs.

Shales and mudstones are the most poorly understood sedimentary rock type. They comprise approximately two thirds of the stratigraphic column and contain the bulk of recorded earth history. In the future, understanding shales will be crucial for a wide variety of studies. Yet, getting a balanced perspective of research on these fascinating rocks is difficult because it is dispersed over so many subdisciplines. The two volumes of this book present up to date research on a wide range of topics in shale geology, and were assembled with the goal to ease access to this engaging field of research. Chapter introductions were written by experts in their field, and are intended to define the state of the art, to provide access to pertinent literature, and to set the stage for the corresponding research papers. Volume I covers basin-scale analysis, sedimentology and paleontology of shales. Volume II supplements this perspective with detailed treatments of petrography, burial history, petrophysics, geochemistry, and economic aspects of shales. The broad coverage of topics should make this book a valuable source of information for those that want to keep informed about current developments in shale research, and a source of inspiration for those interested to enter this exciting field of study.

This volume discusses the readiness of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility near Carlsbad, New Mexico, to serve as a geological repository for transuranic radioactive waste. WIPP is located in a Permian-age bedded salt deposit 658 meters below the surface. The committee has long reviewed DOE's readiness efforts, now aimed at demonstrating compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Site characterization studies and performance assessment modeling are among the topics considered in this volume.