Patent Number: 043371671
Section: claims

1. A container for radioactive nuclear waste materials which are ultimately to be buried underground, said container being composed of a native nickel-iron alloy produced under thermodynamically stable conditions and possessing a composition in the range exhibited by the natural materials awaruite and josephinite. 2. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said alloy is selected from the group consisting of awaruite and josephinite. 3. A container as recited in claim 2 wherein said alloy is awaruite. 4. A container as recited in claim 2 wherein said alloy is josephinite. 5. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein the nickel content of said alloy is in the range 60-90 percent and the iron content of said alloy is in the range 10-40 percent. 6. A container as recited in claim 5 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent cobalt. 7. A container as recited in claim 6 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent copper. 8. A container as recited in claim 5 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent copper. 9. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said alloy is composed of the stoichiometric alloy phase Ni.sub.3 Fe. 10. A method of containing radioactive nuclear waste materials over extended periods of time, said method comprising the steps of: (a) encapsulating the waste materials in a container composed of a native nickel-iron alloy produced under thermodynamically stable conditions and possessing a composition in the range exhibited by the natural materials awaruite and josephinite and  (b) burying the container underground in an impervious, stable rock formation.  (1) encapsulating the waste materials in a container composed of a nickel-iron alloy having the properties of those natural minerals produced under thermodynamically stable conditions within serpentinite-type rocks and possessing a composition in the range exhibited by the mineral awaruite and  (2) burying the container underground in an impervious stable rock formation. 11. A container for radioactive nuclear waste materials which are ultimately to be buried underground, said container being composed of a nickel-iron alloy having the properties of those natural minerals produced under thermodynamically stable conditions within serpentinite-type rocks and possessing a composition in the range exhibited by the mineral awaruite. 12. A container as recited in claim 11 wherein said alloy is awaruite. 13. A container as recited in claim 11 wherein the nickel content of said alloy is in the range 60-90 percent and the iron content of said alloy is in the range 10-40 percent. 14. A container as recited in claim 13 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent cobalt. 15. A container as recited in claim 14 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent copper. 16. A container as recited in claim 13 wherein said alloy also contains up to 5 percent copper. 17. A container as recited in claim 11 wherein said alloy is composed of the stoichiometric alloy phase Ni.sub.3 Fe. 18. A method of containing radioactive nuclear waste materials over extended periods of time, said method comprising the steps of: