Experimental hydrothermal investigations of natural zircons have shown significant variations in loss of uranium. The percent loss is related to the composition of the fluid used in the experimental changes, rather than pressure and temperature alone. Development of microfractures provide an increase in surface area, and may be critical in developing adsorption models for actinides associated with radioactive waste storage. Zircons are being synthesized with various elemental substitution schemes prior to hydrothermal stability tests. 55 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs.