100,000 Years of Isolation: China Hits Milestone in Massive Nuclear Waste Lab

100,000 years. That's how long humanity must wait for high-level nuclear waste to become safe. China is building a massive underground fortress in the heart of the Gobi Desert to solve this multi-generational puzzle. On Friday, December 27, 2025, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced a major breakthrough: the completion of a first-of-its-kind spiral ramp leading to its Beishan Underground Research Laboratory.

Securing the Final 1%

While 99% of nuclear waste is low- or intermediate-level and decays relatively quickly, the remaining 1% is high-level waste that demands extreme measures. Wang Ju, the laboratory’s chief designer, stated that isolating this waste at depths of 500 to 1,000 meters is the most viable long-term solution. The Beishan facility aims to provide this deep geological isolation.

A Global Knowledge Hub

Located in Gansu province, the Beishan lab is set to become one of the world's largest sites for testing nuclear waste management. It's often called "the final link in the nuclear industry chain." Through this platform, CNNC plans to exchange global best practices and share its engineering findings with the world, addressing a shared global challenge for the energy sector.