Overburden material for in-container vitrification

A method for in-container vitrification comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a container having a melt barrier, a conductive starter path in a relatively deeper portion of said container, and a plurality of electrodes electrically contacting said conductive starter path;
• b. filling at least a portion of said container with a first quantity of a material to be treated;
• c. covering at least a portion of an exposed surface of said material to be treated with a first layer of an overburden material;
• d. applying power to said electrodes, thereby melting a portion of said material to be treated proximal to said conductive starter path;
• and
• e. adding an additional amount of said overburden material as said first layer is melted;
• f. allowing at least a portion of said additional amount of said overburden material to melt;
• g. repeating steps e and f until said container is essentially filled with a molten content;
• and
• h. cooling said container to solidify said molten content, thereby vitrifying said material to be treated;
• wherein said overburden material attenuates heat loss and melt-surface disruption events.