Organisation Description
The HADES Underground Research Laboratory (URL), located in Mol, Belgium, is situated in the Boom Clay formation at a depth of 225 metres. HADES is central to the Belgian research programme on the safety and feasibility of geological disposal of radioactive waste. It is used to develop and test industrial technologies for building, operating, and closing a deep clay repository. Scientists conduct small- and large-scale experiments under realistic conditions to assess the long-term safety of geological disposal in poorly indurated clay. HADES is a licensed nuclear research facility, enabling the use of a wide range of radioactive tracers and sources. The large-scale PRACLAY Heater test has been ongoing for over five years to demonstrate the feasibility of geological disposal of high-level, heat-producing waste in clay. Constructed in 1980 and operated since 1995 by the Economic Interest Grouping EIG EURIDICE (a partnership between SCK CEN and ONDRAF/NIRAS), HADES is the oldest underground laboratory in Europe built in deep clay for geological disposal research. The facility is open to technical visits and guest researchers.
Potential Type of Collaboration
Participation in working groups; access to data or facilities; joint research initiatives; training programmes or knowledge transfer activities.
