Synroc: current status and future prospects

Synroc (synthetic rock) is a ceramic consisting primarily of three natural minerals which have the capacity to immobilise into their structure nearly all of the elements present in high-level nuclear waste. This Australian invention has been under development in Australia for the past two decades at a laboratory level, and at an inactive pilot plant scale, with very promising results. Collaboration with international organisations involved in high-level radioactive waste management have confirmed Synroc as an advanced second-generation waste form. Further collaborative projects are underway to extend the performance data base and to identify applications for the Synroc process. (author)