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Title: Hydrothermal alteration of sediments associated with surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja, California, Mexico

Abstract

Surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir are restricted to a 100 km/sup 2/ area on the western side of the field, near the volcano Cerro Prieto and the lake Laguna Vulcano. Some 57 surface emissions, explored in 1979, were classified into hot springs, mud pots, pools, fumaroles and geysers (Valette and Esquer-Patino, 1979). A study of the mineralogical changes associated with these hydrothermal vents was initiated with the aim of developing possible exploration tools for geothermal resources. The Cerro Prieto reservoir has already been explored by extensive deep drilling so that relationships between surface manifestations and deeper hydrothermal processes could be established directly. Approximately 120 samples of surface sediments were collected both inside and outside of the vents. The mineralogy of the altered sediments studied appears to be controlled by the type of emission. A comparison between the changes in mineralogy due to low temperature hydrothermal activity in the reservoir, seen in samples from boreholes, and mineralogical changes in the surface emission samples shows similar general trends below 180/sup 0/C: increase of quartz, feldspar and illite, with subsequent disappearance of kaolinite, montmorillonite, calcite and dolomite. These mineral assemblages seem to be characteristics of the discharge from high intensitymore » geothermal fields.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
California Univ., Riverside (USA). Inst. of Geophysics and Planetary Physics; Comision Federal de Electricidad, Mexico City
OSTI Identifier:
5911441
Report Number(s):
CONF-810399-2
ON: DE82001983
DOE Contract Number:  
AT03-80SF11458
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 3. symposium on the Cerro Prieto geothermal field in Baja California, Mexico, San Francisco, CA, USA, Mar 1981
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; CERRO PRIETO GEOTHERMAL FIELD; GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS; HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION; BOREHOLES; CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; EMISSION; FELDSPARS; FUMAROLES; GEOCHEMISTRY; GEYSERS; HOT SPRINGS; ILLITE; MINERALOGY; QUARTZ; SAMPLING; SEDIMENTS; CAVITIES; CHALCOGENIDES; CHEMISTRY; CLAYS; GEOTHERMAL FIELDS; MINERALS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; SILICON COMPOUNDS; SILICON OXIDES; SURVEYS; THERMAL SPRINGS; WATER SPRINGS; Geothermal Legacy; 150202* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems- Non-USA- (-1989); 150302 - Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology- Geochemical Techniques & Surveys

Citation Formats

Valette-Silver, J N, Esquer-Patino, I, Elders, W A, Collier, P C, and Hoagland, J R. Hydrothermal alteration of sediments associated with surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja, California, Mexico. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Valette-Silver, J N, Esquer-Patino, I, Elders, W A, Collier, P C, & Hoagland, J R. Hydrothermal alteration of sediments associated with surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja, California, Mexico. United States.
Valette-Silver, J N, Esquer-Patino, I, Elders, W A, Collier, P C, and Hoagland, J R. 1981. "Hydrothermal alteration of sediments associated with surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja, California, Mexico". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5911441.
@article{osti_5911441,
title = {Hydrothermal alteration of sediments associated with surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, Baja, California, Mexico},
author = {Valette-Silver, J N and Esquer-Patino, I and Elders, W A and Collier, P C and Hoagland, J R},
abstractNote = {Surface emissions from the Cerro Prieto geothermal reservoir are restricted to a 100 km/sup 2/ area on the western side of the field, near the volcano Cerro Prieto and the lake Laguna Vulcano. Some 57 surface emissions, explored in 1979, were classified into hot springs, mud pots, pools, fumaroles and geysers (Valette and Esquer-Patino, 1979). A study of the mineralogical changes associated with these hydrothermal vents was initiated with the aim of developing possible exploration tools for geothermal resources. The Cerro Prieto reservoir has already been explored by extensive deep drilling so that relationships between surface manifestations and deeper hydrothermal processes could be established directly. Approximately 120 samples of surface sediments were collected both inside and outside of the vents. The mineralogy of the altered sediments studied appears to be controlled by the type of emission. A comparison between the changes in mineralogy due to low temperature hydrothermal activity in the reservoir, seen in samples from boreholes, and mineralogical changes in the surface emission samples shows similar general trends below 180/sup 0/C: increase of quartz, feldspar and illite, with subsequent disappearance of kaolinite, montmorillonite, calcite and dolomite. These mineral assemblages seem to be characteristics of the discharge from high intensity geothermal fields.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5911441}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}

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