Strontium isotope geochemistry of soil and playa deposits near Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:124918

Marshall, B D; Mahan, S A

The isotopic composition of strontium contained in the carbonate fractions of soils provides an excellent tracer which can be used to test models for their origin. This paper reports data on surface coatings and cements, eolian sediments, playas and alluvial fan soils which help to constrain a model for formation of the extensive calcretes and fault infilling in the Yucca Mountain region. The playas contain carbonate with a wide range of strontium compositions; further work will be required to fully understand their possible contributions to the pedogenic carbonate system. Soils from an alluvial fan to the west of Yucca Mountain show that only small amounts of strontium are derived from weathering of silicate detritus. However, calcretes from a fan draining a carbonate terrane have strontium compositions dominated locally by the limestone strontium component. Although much evidence points to an eolian source for at least some of the strontium in the pedogenic carbonates near Yucca Mountain, an additional component or past variation of strontium composition in the eolian source is required to model the pedogenic carbonate system.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AI08-92NV10874
• OSTI ID: 124918
• Report Number(s): CONF-940553--98; ON: DE96001464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
CARBONATES
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SOILS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project