Reaction-path calculations of groundwater chemistry and mineral formation at Rainier Mesa, Nevada
Reaction-patch calculations of groundwater chemistry and mineral formation at Rainier Mesa, Nevada, have been done using a model of volcanic-glass dissolution by water that is initially saturated with CO{sub 2}. In the reaction-path calculation, rate processes control the availability of species through dissolution of volcanic glass, and equilibrium processes distribute the species between the aqueous phase and mineral phases in equilibrium at each step in the reaction path. The EQ3/6 chemical-equilibrium programs were used for the calculation. Formation constants were estimated for three zeolites (clinoptilolite, mordenite, and heulandite), so they could be considered as possible mineral precipitates. The first stage of mineral evolution, from volcanic glass to a cristobalite, smectite clay, and zeolite mixture, was modeled quite well. Predicted aqueous-phase compositions and precipitates agree with observations at Rainier Mesa and other Nevada Test Site areas. Further mineral evolution, to quartz, clay, analcime, and albite mixtures, was also modeled. Decreasing aqueous silica activity from the first stage, where cristobalite precipitates, to later stages, where quartz is present, was the controlling variable in the mineral evolution. 30 references, 20 figures, 4 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 59163
- Report Number(s):
- LA--9912-MS; ON: DE84006330
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALBITE
ANALCIME
CALCIUM
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
CLINOPTILOLITE
DISSOLUTION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GLASS
GROUND WATER
HEULANDITE
MAGNESIUM
MINERALOGY
MORDENITE
NEVADA TEST SITE
POTASSIUM
PRECIPITATION
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
SODIUM
SYNTHESIS
TUFF
Yucca Mountain Project