Reactive fluid flow models and applications to diagenesis, mineral deposits and crustal rocks

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6973243· OSTI ID:6973243

Lasaga, A C; Rye, D M

This project is obtaining new results and developing new techniques along three directions: (a) experimental studies of water-rock reactions (b) theoretical modeling of coupled fluid flow-chemical reactions and (c) isotopic measurements of both regional isotopic compositions as well as isotopic zoning within individual mineral grains. An important part of the project is the integration of all three approaches into a concerted effort aimed at new understanding of the behavior of fluids and their chemical reactions with minerals in the crust. The experimental work pioneered in our laboratories has produced several startling results on the kinetic rate laws of silicate-water reactions. The approach to equilibrium has been shown to follow a non-linear path in rate constant-free energy space. This behavior is quite distinct from most work done by geochemists on modeling silicate behavior in diagenesis, weathering, hydrothermal systems or environmental models. The work to date has involved albite, kaolinite and gibbsite, which together with silica would comprise a kinetic granite system prototype''. The theoretical modeling has produced a state-of-the-art computer code that can efficiently handle dozens of chemical species, many mineral reactions and variations of fluid flow properties and temperature in both one and two dimensions. In addition the code can now treat oxidation-reduction reactions and isotopic exchange between fluids and minerals. The main thrust of the theoretical modeling has been to develop further the differences between equilibrium, steady state, and non-steady-state behavior of the chemical evolution of open fluid-rock systems. These differences have not been fully appreciated in previous models.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-90ER14153
• OSTI ID: 6973243
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/14153-2; ON: DE93002097
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
ROCKS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
WATER
ALBITE
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COMPUTER CODES
DIAGENESIS
EQUILIBRIUM
GIBBSITE
KAOLINITE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL DATA
PROGRESS REPORT
SILICATES
SILICON OXIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM HYDROXIDES
ALUMINIUM SILICATES
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
FELDSPARS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INFORMATION
KINETICS
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
580000* - Geosciences