Oil field brines as ore-forming solutions

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Econ. Geol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.79.1.23· OSTI ID:6641700

Sverjensky, D A

The hypothesis that oil field brines can become ore-forming solutions and can transport base metals and reduced sulfur to sites of ore formation by large-scale migration along aquifers out of sedimentary basins is examined using data on the chemical compositions of presnt-day heavy metal-bearing oil field brines and the petrography of their reservoir rocks, and is a theoretical evaluation of the chemistry of possible water-rock interactions in the aquifers during migration. The concept of water-rock interactions in the aquifers of sandstone and carbonate-hosted base metal sulfide ore deposits is clearly of potential importance in explaining geochemical characteristics of such deposits, including the Na/K ratios of the fluid inclusions, the lead isotope compositions of galena, the paragenesis sphalerite followed by galena, and the overall Zn/Pb ratios of the deposits. It is because of these water-rock interactions that a single brine carrying base metals and reduced sulfur can evolve chemically in its aquifer so that brines with a spectrum of geochemical characteristics arrive as a function of time at a distant site of ore formation.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, State Univ. of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
• OSTI ID: 6641700
• Journal Information: Econ. Geol.; (United States), Vol. 79:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
BRINES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
GEOCHEMISTRY
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
RESERVOIR ROCK
PETROGRAPHY
AQUIFERS
DOLOMITE
MASS TRANSFER
MINERALS
OIL WELLS
ORES
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
SANDSTONES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
FLUIDS
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
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580300 - Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics- (-1989)
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)