BGE and BGR organise “Clay Conference” in Hanover

Experts discuss the disposal of radioactive waste in clay and clay rocks 

The Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE), in collaboration with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), is organising the 9th International Conference on Clays in Natural and Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement from 25 to 28 November 2024 in Hanover. This international conference offers experts from various disciplines an important scientific platform for dealing with aspects of argillaceous (clay-containing) host rocks and geotechnical barriers to the disposal of radioactive waste and for exchanging information on current developments in the field of research into these topics. 

The Clay Conference was organised for the first time in 2002 by the French implementer, the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA). Around 460 scientists from over 20 countries have registered for this year’s instalment of the conference series at the Hannover Congress Centrum (HCC). 

The Clay Conference focuses on the final disposal of radioactive waste in clay-containing host rocks and on geotechnical bentonite barriers in the repository. In this context, the term clay includes both sedimentary clay rocks and industrially available bentonites in the form of speciality clays. Clay rocks serve as a host rock for the emplacement of waste and as a geological barrier. Bentonites are used as backfill material for geotechnical barriers in both clay-containing and crystalline host rock. 

Experts from the fields of geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, hydrogeology, geomechanics, materials science and engineering will come together at the conference to discuss multidisciplinary issues. 

The specialist programme of the Clay Conference encompasses lectures in seven plenary sessions, including keynote speeches, 18 parallel sessions, over 230 poster presentations and a panel discussion. The event also offers an extensive scientific supporting programme. The BGE offers guided tours of the Morsleben repository and the Konrad mine, while the BGR offers guided tours of its laboratories.

Further information on the Clay Conference:
https://clayconference2024.de/