Natural radioactivity in geothermal waters, Alhambra Hot Springs and nearby areas, Jefferson County, Montana

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6804941· OSTI ID:6804941

Leonard, R B; Janzer, W J

Radioactive hot springs issue from a fault zone in crystalline rock of the Boulder batholith at Alhambra, Jefferson County, in southwestern Montana. The discharge contains high concentrations of radon, and the gross activity and the concentration of radium-226 exceed maximum levels recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water. Part of the discharge is diverted for space heating, bathing, and domestic use. The radioactive thermal waters at measured temperatures of about 60/sup 0/C are of the sodium bicarbonate type and saturated with respect to calcium carbonate. Radium-226 in the rock and on fractured surfaces or coprecipitated with calcium carbonate probably is the principal source of radon that is dissolved in the thermal water and discharged with other gases from some wells and springs. Local surface water and shallow ground water are of the calcium bicarbonate type and exhibit low background radioactivity. The temperature, percent sodium, and radioactivity of mixed waters adjacent to the fault zone increase with depth. Samples from most of the major hot springs in southwestern Montana have been analyzed for gross alpha and beta. The high level of radioactivity at Alhambra appears to be related to leaching of radioactive material from fractured siliceous veins by ascending thermal waters, and is not a normal characteristic of hot springs issuing from fractured crystalline rock in Montana.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Helena, MT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6804941
• Report Number(s): USGS-OFR-77-624
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150301* -- Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology-- Geophysical Techniques & Surveys
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400103 -- Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures-- (-1987)
ACID CARBONATES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA DETECTION
BETA DETECTION
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPRECIPITATION
DEPTH
DETECTION
DIMENSIONS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
Geothermal Legacy
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOT SPRINGS
HYDROLOGY
ISOTOPES
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
MONTANA
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRECIPITATION
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM 226
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON
RARE GASES
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMAL SPRINGS
THERMAL WATERS
USA
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES