Аннотация:Assessment of effectiveness of natural clay grounds and commercial mixtures on their basis as materials for engineering barriers in sites of storage and disposal of radioactive waste (RW) is an urgent task of modern geoecology. The purpose of the present study was to determine the most effective barrier materials in relation to RW components among available clay mixtures and common grounds of different composition. The objects of the study were ferruginous clay, kaolin loam, bentonite of PBMV grade and a mechanically activated mixture of bentonite, kaolinite and vermiculite (МАC mixture). The test solution contained a number of elements whose radioactive isotopes or analogs are the main components of RW of hazard class III and IV. Experimental determination of potential immobilizing ability characteristics and sorption parameters in static mode showed that the studied materials by their efficiency are as follows: 1) PBMV bentonite; 2) MAC mixture; 3) ferruginous clay; 4) kaolin loam. Immobilizing ability of ferruginous clay for some elements was higher than that of MAC mixture