[en] The long-term thermodynamic stability of the bentonite buffer in the evolving chemical, thermal and hydrological conditions at Olkiluoto has been evaluated by reviewing the relevant experimental data and natural occurrences of bentonite that could serve as analogues for the long-term bentonite stability in the expected repository conditions, especially focussing on mineral transformations due, among others, to thermal effects including cementation. Natural occurrences with stable smectite have been reviewed and compared with Olkiluoto groundwater compositions at present and during the expected hydrogeochemical evolution of the repository. Alteration of the bentonite buffer is expected to be insignificant for natural groundwater conditions at present and for the evolving groundwater conditions at the expected thermal boundary conditions caused by the heat induced from the fuel canisters (<100 deg C). However, it should be noted that salinity increase affects smectite stability and the current maximum allowed salinity is 70 g/l for the bedrock. The introduced foreign materials (e.g. plugs, backfill, cement based construction materials, etc.) may cause release of K⁺ and SiO₂ and elevated pH due to degradation and dissolution processes. These may alter the conditions in the repository that may favour alteration and cementation processes. The amounts of foreign materials to be used in the repository will be updated along with the progress of the construction. Also the information on their impact on the barriers needs to be evaluated in more detail, including the degradation rate, mobility or dilution of the foreign materials in the repository environment. The exchangeable cation composition of the buffer bentonite is expected to equilibrate with the surrounding groundwater during and after saturation. This process is expected to lead towards Ca-dominant exchangeable cation composition within the montmorillonite interlayer spaces in the buffer. In general it seems that the transformation towards Ca-dominated composition would favour the long-term stability of the buffer as Ca-dominated smectite (compared to Na-dominated type) has larger water retention capacity and anion incorporation to the interlayer space of montmorillonite is more extensive for divalent cations and it is not as easily eroded or dissolved in case of diluted groundwater or in case of high pH. Although the information on cementation by thermal effects from natural bentonite occurrences may not be directly applicable to the repository conditions, they show that very high temperatures have affected the bentonites and for long periods of time and there is still unaltered montmorillonite in those deposits. Natural occurrences of bentonite and smectite provide information on the bentonite behaviour in varying conditions. How to adapt this information in the predicting the buffer behaviour is a challenging task. To be able to make a direct comparison between different natural occurrences and the buffer, more detailed information would be needed on density/compaction rate, saturation degrees, pressure conditions, chemical conditions, and duration of the thermal events for the natural bentonites as these are well known for the buffer. (orig.)