VT-NRL Kimballton Kimballton Soudan Sudbury Homestake Henderson WIPP San Jacinto Icicle Creek

The Kimballton site is located less than 30 minutes from Virginia Tech largest research university in Virginia 28,000 students technical infrastructure and academic environment in the immediate vicinity of laboratory is unique Blacksburg named one of “Ten Dream Towns-The Perfect Places to Live Big, Play Hard and Work (if you Must)”

Mine Portal Sedimentary Host Rock

Current mine layout Current maximum depth of mine – 2300’ (~1900 mwe assuming limestone) over 50 miles of stopes 700 kton of high-grade limestone removed per year (~7 GS Hall C’s/yr) Deeper sites available as time goes on Preliminary facility at 1700’ (~1450 mwe) ~ 1 mile

Drive-in Access: Width 42’ (12.8 meters) Height 26’ – 105’ (8 – 32 meters) Length up to one mile

Facility Location

Detail Location of VT-NRL facility

The radioactivity of the Kimballton limestone was measured by the Max Plank Institut für Kernphysik in Heidelberg Germany. The results of this measurement on two samples of rock are: 40K  18±1, 13 ±1 Bq/kg 226Ra  1.2±0.1, 1.9±0.2 Bq/kg 226Th  0.6±0.1, 0.9±0.2 Bq/kg The radon concentration is measured periodically by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and their only positive result was: 222Rn  14.8 Bq/m3

Base facility: 1700 ft deep accessed by truck (or bus) concrete pad of 42'x113’ Concrete poured July 19, 2005; ready Sept 2005 PLAN: water, septic, 50kW electric internet 20'x40' assembly hall 12'x40' office trailer 8'x24' NRL lab unallocated (~ 40'x40') 30 minutes from VT to the mine 15 minutes from the surface

Initial Science Programs

Material Screening HPGe detctors, like these at Gran Sasso Prefabricated laboratories can be driven in.

Nuclear Test Detection: Short-Lived Isotope Detection Detectors like those used for Gallex Also: seismic signature (surface and deep) studies using daily blasting as source. Shielding with screened materials Methodology

or Solar Neutrinos: LENS LENS proto-type: to measure solar pp neutrino flux to 3%; compare solar neutrino luminosity to photon luminosity; evolution of sun and basic neutrino properties pp 7 Be CNO pep Threshold: 10 pe ~ 10 keV

Figure 1. Level scheme of 100 Mo double-beta decay. Figure 2. Double-beta decay apparatus consisting of two HPGc detectors with Mo-disk, NaI annulus and plastic scintillators (active cosmic-ray veto) and Pb shielding. Double Beta Decay: Mo-100 Existing experiment to move from DUKE to Kimballton Looking for double-beta decay to excited state: gives triple coincidence; checks exclusion principle

Rock Mechanics: Amadeus Tomography of rock faces to predict fracturing prior to blasting.

Micro-Biology SPECIFIC AIMS a. To develop biogeochemical models for the development of the sedimentary rocks of Kimballton and other places on earth with similar geological characteristics (from b and c) b. To reconstruct metabolic models for the microorganisms that inhabited the ancient sediments of Kimballton prior to their burial. c. To understand the evolutionary processes of the Kimballton microbes: to understand how the changes on earth surface influenced the course of evolution of the burried ancient microorganisms d. To isolate microorganisms and genes of practical use (energy production via conversion of unminable hydrocarbons into natural gas, carbon dioxide sequestration, bioremediation, and production of bulk and fine chemicals, including pharmaceuticals).

THE HYPOTHESES: I. The sedimentary rocks of Kimballton underwent burial million years ago. II. The ancient microbial cells trapped within the low porosity dry rocks are no longer alive. However, some of their cell constituents (molecular fossils) such as DNA and lipids are well preserved. III. The microbial cells trapped within the porous rocks grew and evolved after burial. A. The rocks receiving recharge (fresh supplies of nutrients) evolved with the changes that occurred on the earth surface. B. The rocks without recharge grew very slowly with a very limited supply of nutrients and water and evolved independent of the changes that occurred on the earth surface. Micro-Biology

EXPERIMENTS: To isolate and analyze the DNA, lipids and small biomolecules from these rocks by use of cutting edge drilling/coring, genomic and metabolite profiling technologies To isolate and characterize the microbial cells that populate these formations. Target rock formations (accessible from the VT-NRL facility) and sample collection strategies: 1. Carbonate-rich Shale – horizontal cores 2. Carbonate rocks - horizontal and inclined cores Pyrite vertical cores Micro-Biology

Hydrology Mining Technology: Remote Handling Develop technology to allow remote handling of materials such as will be needed for waste- handling at Yucca Mountain. Transparent Earth: Imaging & Truthing Space & Access Available Beginning September 2005 further info: ability to image rock-mass, and then mine- back to confirm model study of regional water system