Visit to the Beishan High-level Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal Laboratory in China

On October 16, 1964, China successfully detonated its first atomic bomb. Fast forward sixty years, deep in the northwestern Gobi Desert, the construction of the China Beishan High-Level Waste Geological Disposal Laboratory is underway—set to be the largest, most comprehensive underground laboratory of its kind in the world.

The journey from Jiuquan to Beishan takes several hours, with little to no mobile network along the way. Above, the vast sky stretches endlessly, resembling the grandeur found in classical frontier poetry, while below lies an unbroken expanse of yellow sand dunes. As our vehicle traverses this remote terrain under a blanket of deep blue sky, one can’t help but wonder: Who would venture to such a desolate place, and why?

High-level waste, or highly radioactive waste, constitutes about 1% of the radioactive waste generated by the nuclear industry and poses significant potential risks to the environment. Ensuring its safety requires strategies that guarantee the waste remains contained for tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands of years. After over half a century of advancements in nuclear technology, managing high-level waste safely is a challenge that all nuclear nations face.

Wang Ju, the chief scientist of China National Nuclear Corporation, explains that the internationally accepted approach involves treating high-level waste and burying it in stable geological formations located between 500 to 1,000 meters below the surface—ensuring isolation for over ten thousand years.

The requirements for selecting a site for high-level waste disposal are extraordinarily stringent. Wang highlights that both natural and socio-economic conditions must be considered. The Beishan region boasts stable geological features, with sparse groundwater. After over three decades of exploration, the laboratory is located on a nearly faultless granite body roughly the size of half of Beijing. Its remote location, devoid of human habitation, means that it will not negatively impact local socio-economic development.

“The selection of this site received unanimous approval from the review experts,” asserts Wang, noting that it stands as one of the best-prepared areas for high-level waste disposal in the world.

Construction of the China Beishan High-Level Waste Geological Disposal Laboratory officially began in 2021. The project features a design that includes a spiral ramp, three vertical shafts, and two levels of horizontal tunnels. Testing platforms are being constructed at 280 and 560 meters underground, with a total tunnel length of approximately 7,400 meters. As of now, more than 5,000 meters have been completed, with plans to finish the facility around 2050.

Given the high hardness of granite, the construction of the spiral ramp tunnel is particularly challenging. The lab’s main projects are being executed using “Beishan No. 1,” the world’s first large-slope spiral tunnel boring machine, developed by China. This innovative equipment addresses the difficulties of drilling in continuously steep-angled tunnels with tight turns—a testament to cutting-edge technology in this field.

Currently, the research team at Beishan comprises over 60 members, with more than 50 holding master’s or doctoral degrees. “Without sounding conceited, we’ve achieved world-class results,” Wang states proudly. Malik Ko, deputy general manager of the Beishan project, adds that if research is akin to performance, then this site serves as the grandest stage, capable of providing everything researchers desire. In this light, the loneliness, solitude, and sacrifices perceived by outsiders seem to vanish.

As the only global collaborative center designated by the International Atomic Energy Agency for high-level waste geological disposal, the China Beishan Laboratory’s research advancements and technological innovations are garnering international attention.

During the 68th International Atomic Energy Agency conference last September, China opened 12 nuclear research facilities and experimental platforms, including the Beishan underground laboratory, to the world. Liu Jing, deputy director of the National Atomic Energy Agency of China, expressed the country’s commitment to fostering an open, fair, and equitable international technological development environment. This collaboration aims to share technological resources, enhance joint research, and promote practical cooperation in talent cultivation, all in a bid to make nuclear energy development more inclusive and orderly.