RESOURCES FOR INVESTIGATIONS IN THE GEOSCIENCES AT THE DEEP UNDERGROUND SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LABORATORY AT HOMESTAKE: NOW AND THE FUTURE

The Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory at Homestake in Lead, SD, is located at the site of the large Homestake Gold Mine that was closed in 2003. The extensive workings in the subsurface and the ability to convert the mine into an underground laboratory in a rapid and cost efficient manner lead to its designation as an underground science and engineering laboratory. The laboratory is being developed in two-phases. The first phase involves the installation of laboratories on the level that is 4850 feet below the surface (4850L), and the second would develop laboratories on the 7400L. Although the primary focus of the laboratory supports physics experiments that require shielding from cosmic radiation to allow better detection of rare interactions between fundamental particles, interest in the opportunities for geoscience and geomicrobiology applications is becoming more important. At the present time, access to the 4850L is being established, as well as many of the levels above which typically are developed at 150 ft intervals. The subsurface currently is accessed through one vertical shaft, and the second vertical shaft access is expected to become available within the coming year. This laboratory offers the opportunity to directly investigate a large volume of rock over an extended period of time. The infrastructure will lend itself well to investigations of fluid flow in fractures, long-period investigations of rock deformation, and characterization of the geomicrobiology in the subsurface.