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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 15d

Interesting development in how things are going with the UK's geological disposal facility siting process... www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/54c7f75... #NukeSky #RadioactiveWaste #Nuclear

Miliband poised to overrule local opposition to build nuclear waste dumps

Review considers scrapping public votes on sites for radioactive storage facilities

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 17d

Smashing views at sunrise over the Mendips this morning. It's starting to feel a bit autumnal and the trails are satisfyingly muddy! 😁 #TrailRunning

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 18d

It was hard to pick between these two drop dead gorgeous minerals 🥰 But tugtupite gets my vote purely because it's found with sodalite, and I'm currently working on how to use sodalite as a template for the immobilisation of radioactive waste from futuristic nuclear reactors ☢️ #MinCup25 #Nuclear

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · 19d

#MinCup Round 2 Match 4:
It’s a battle of mineralogical oddities as organic mineral #Carpathite battles against vs #Tugtupite, a mineral that looks like reindeer blood!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...

Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 2 Match 4 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Carpathite vs Tugtupite Photo credits: Michael Roarke

www.mineralcup.org

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 19d

Battle of the most bland minerals in the world? #mincup25 yawn!

There's a solid solution between BaSO4 and RaSO4, and radium is often found in baryte scale inside oil pipes. So it's the NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material)-containing baryte that gets my vote today! ☢️

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · 20d

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 3: It's a heavyweight match between industrial powerhouses as soft #baryte competes against rusty red #hematite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 2 Match 3 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Baryte vs Hematite Photo credits:

www.mineralcup.org

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 20d

In #MinCup25 today it's got to be perovskite for me! My favourite flavour is titanate perovskite because it's found in nature to be jam-packed full of uranium and thorium! ☢️ For that reason it's of interest as a ceramic host for radioactive waste.

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · 21d

#MinCup25 Round 2 Match 2: It's all about how minerals interact with humans as dramatic #stibnite faces off against futuristic #perovskite.

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r2...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 2 Match 2 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Stibnite vs Perovskite Photo credits: Gianandrea Ghirri and Enrico Bonacina

www.mineralcup.org

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 20d

Had a super visit to the NNUF EXACT facility @unisouthampton.bsky.social for nice discussions about radiochemistry and spectroscopy and, my personal highlight, coral reef grown on geopolymers! These corals might be fluorescent, but they sure ain't radioactive... #lablife #RadioChem #nuclear ☢️ 🐠

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 22d

The historic start of radioactive waste treatment at the Hanford vitrification plant is a matter of weeks away. Or is it? “Any plans to deviate from this plan will delay the cleanup and waste billions in taxpayer dollars" #Nuclear #NukeSky #RadioactiveWaste
www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/h...

‘Catastrophic threat’ to startup of massive Hanford nuclear cleanup plant rumored

Does Energy Secretary Chris Wright want to go in a “different direction” at the plant that employs 3,000?

www.tri-cityherald.com

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 22d

We're on the dawn of the 7th (yes, 7) nuclear renaissance in the UK since 2010. Is it really going to happen this time? Cutting through red tape to speed up design approval is one way to do it, but only if shortcuts with waste management aren't made #nuclear www.theguardian.com/environment/...

UK-US nuclear deal: what does it mean and will it really lead to a ‘golden age’?

Starmer announced multibillion-pound link-up to build ‘mini-nukes’ likely to be signed during Trump visit

www.theguardian.com

Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

It's that time of year again! #MinCup25 is here (I'm a bit late to the party...) Paddlewheelite gets my vote today, of course, it's a uranyl mineral! ☢️ No competition!

Mineral Cup #MinCup25 @mineralcup.bsky.social · 23d

#MinCup25 Round 1 Match 16 - It's a battle of the tiny as bright green #paddlewheelite goes up against jet black #mannardite. Both are small yet mighty minerals, but only one can win!

Vote: www.mineralcup.org/2025/vote/r1...
Results: www.mineralcup.org/2025/results...

Vote in Round 1 Match 16 — Mineral Cup

Click here to vote in Paddlewheelite vs Mannardite Photo credits: Travis Olds and Matteo Chinellato

www.mineralcup.org

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

And hey there to our shiny new @brukercorporation.bsky.social D6 X-ray Diffractometer — bringing radioactive mineral structures into sharp focus (the photo is a bit wobbly because I'm excited about this guy!)

Can’t wait to get hands-on and share what we discover! #NuclearScience #Radiomineralogy

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

Say hello to our brand-new @thermofishersci.bsky.social ICP-OES! Ready to tackle elemental analysis from glass, ceramic and mineral interactions with groundwater / cement porewater etc., like a pro! #lablife #radiomineralogy #NuclearScience #RadioactiveWasteDisposal

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

Good things come to those who wait… or maybe it’s those who work hard and convince funders to back them 😅 Excited to finally introduce the new Radiomineralogy Laboratory! 100 m2 dedicated to actinide mineralogy / materials science and radioactive waste immobilisation and disposal.

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

So I'm excited to chat about #nuclear #science, #radioactive waste, #geological disposal #mineralogy and #actinides, to exchange ideas, update on new research developments and hear what you’re up to.

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

I also took some time to focus on mental health, recharge, and reflect. And to get back running on the trails. After that pause, I’m ready to dive back into research, share insights, and connect with all of you again.

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

On the personal side life has changed too: I’ve joined a wonderful blended family. Step-parenting two amazing kids (ages 5 & 8) has been full of surprises, laughter, and lessons every day. Huge learning curve, but very rewarding. There is now more Lego in my life than I ever thought possible!

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

So… where have I been? Big life changes! I moved universities 2 years ago — hello, University of Bristol 🎉 — and joined the School of Earth Sciences. New labs, new colleagues, lots of fresh ideas. It’s been exciting, even if moving was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster (that's an understatement!).

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · 23d

Hey BlueSky friends! Long time no post 👋 Life got a bit intense, so I stepped back for a while… but I’m back in a soft relaunch kind of way. This term is shaping up to be exciting — from radioactive waste to cutting-edge nuclear energy research, there’s plenty to explore and discuss!

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Jun 19

UK nuclear scientists, including those of us from the @sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social, speak with the BBC to allay concerns about the bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran. @cabot-institute.bsky.social

BBC News - What are the risks of bombing Iran's nuclear sites?
www.bbc.com/news/article...

What are the risks of bombing a nuclear site?

www.bbc.com

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Mar 17

Delighted to give an invited lecture about the use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy in radioactive waste disposal at the 15th School on the Physics and Chemistry of the Actinides, at @esrf.fr and hosted by the ROBL team @hzdr.bsky.social. Now that's done, it's time to eat ALL THE CHEESE! 🧀 #nukesky

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Mar 17

🚨New paper alert! 🚨 In this work led by PhD graduate James Mansfield, we explore the role of Mg and Ca in glass durability focusing on natural basaltic glass compositions. Read all about it here: sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social @cabot-institute.bsky.social

The effect of magnesia and lime on the durability of synthetic basaltic glasses

The effect of varying [MgO][MgO]+[CaO] ratios on the chemical durability of a series of synthetic basaltic glasses is examined via monolith (MCC-1) an…

sciencedirect.com

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Feb 6

Making plutonium-rocks by baking a cake, and then disposing of them in a giant underground landfill. Sounds a bit bonkers, right? Learn more as I talk to @BBCRadio4's Inside Science programme (at 13:10): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social @cabot-institute.bsky.social

BBC Inside Science - The World’s Biggest Iceberg - BBC Sounds

And what does locking up a load of radioactive waste have in common with baking a cake?

www.bbc.co.uk

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Feb 3

Listen to me witter on about plutonium immobilisation and how ancient natural uranium minerals can give us confidence in their safe long-term disposal in a geological disposal facility☢️ @cabot-institute.bsky.social @sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/int...

UK to dispose of its radioactive plutonium

Digging deeper into radioactive waste storage...

www.thenakedscientists.com

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Jan 28

Lovely to chat with @bbc5live.bsky.social about radioactive cakes, er, I mean plutonium, & the UK government's announcement (based on our research @sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social) that we will dispose of it in a geological facility. From 2:47 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @cabot-institute.bsky.social

Naga Munchetty - 28/01/2025 - BBC Sounds

Naga Munchetty features news, experiences, and big name interviews from around the UK.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Jan 24

Really thrilled to hear this news today and even more pleased to have worked on (and sometimes led) research that is making this happen. Always great to chat with @vicgill.bsky.social too! @sw-nuclearhub.bsky.social @cabot-institute.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

UK's plutonium to be readied for disposal

The government says it will dispose of its 140 tonnes of radioactive plutonium - currently stored at Sellafield.

www.bbc.com

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Prof Claire Corkhill @clairecorkhill.bsky.social · Jan 14

"the development of new small and advanced modular reactor designs offers a unique opportunity to allow nuclear energy to really live up to its 'clean' label and to put a cap on the costs of nuclear clean-up." My new article in @thebulletin.org. Check it out! thebulletin.org/premium/2025...

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