Experience with minerals recovery from geothermal and other brines

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5318318

Crane, C H

The commercial extraction of minerals from geothermal fluids is not a novelty, although there appear to be no current commercial activities. Products which have been commercially recovered from geothermal fluids include NaC1, CaC1/sub 2/, H/sub 3/BO/sub 3/, and NH/sub 3/. Sites of significant commercial activity include Larderello, Italy and the Imperial Valley in California. Furthermore, a few pilot-plant systems have been tested for this purpose. Commercial recovery from natural non-geothermal brines has a long history, which may have implications for geothermal energy applications. The technical feasibility and economic benefits of large-scale minerals production in conjunction with geothermal energy exploitation remain speculative. In any case, the uncertainties can be resolved only on a site- and product-specific basis.

• Research Organization: Engineering and Economics Research, Inc., Vienna, Virginia
• OSTI ID: 5318318
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.; (United States) Vol. 6; ISSN IGRSD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150700* -- Geothermal Energy-- Products & By-Products
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BRINES
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CALIFORNIA
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ECONOMICS
EUROPE
EXTRACTION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPERIAL VALLEY
ITALY
LARDERELLO GEOTHERMAL FIELD
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
MINERALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NORTH AMERICA
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WESTERN EUROPE