The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah
Abstract
Geological, geophysical and geochemical studies contributed to conceptual hydrologic model of the blind'' (no surface expression), moderate-temperature (greater than 130{degree}C) Newcastle geothermal system, located in the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau transition zone of southwestern Utah. Temperature gradient measurements define a thermal anomaly centered near the surface trace of the range-bounding Antelope Range fault with and elongate dissipative plume extending north into the adjacent Escalante Valley. Spontaneous potential and resistivity surveys sharply define the geometry of the dominant upflow zone (not yet explored), indicating that most of the thermal fluid issues form a short segment along the Antelope Range fault and discharges into a gently-dipping aquifer. Production wells show that this aquifer lies at a depth between 85 and 95 meter. Electrical surveys also show that some leakage of thermal fluid occurs over a 1.5 km (minimum) interval along the trace of the Antelope Range fault. Major element, oxygen and hydrogen isotopic analyses of water samples indicate that the thermal fluid is a mixture of meteoric water derived from recharge areas in the Pine Valley Mountains and cold, shallow groundwater. A northwest-southeast trending system of faults, encompassing a zone of increased fracture permeability, collects meteoric water from the recharge area, allowsmore »
- Authors:
-
- Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (USA)
- Utah Univ., Salt Lake City, UT (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, Salt Lake City, UT (USA)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- DOE/CE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6931402
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID/12756-1
ON: DE90010574
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-88ID12756
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; GEOTHERMAL FIELDS; HYDROLOGY; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; FLUID FLOW; GEOLOGIC FAULTS; GEOLOGY; GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS; GROUND WATER; HEAT TRANSFER; HOT SPRINGS; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; PROGRESS REPORT; TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT; DOCUMENT TYPES; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ENERGY TRANSFER; GEOLOGIC FRACTURES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; SURVEYS; THERMAL SPRINGS; WATER; WATER SPRINGS; Geothermal Legacy; 150200* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems
Citation Formats
Blackett, R E, Shubat, M A, Bishop, C E, Chapman, D S, Forster, C B, and Schlinger, C M. The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah. United States: N. p., 1990.
Web. doi:10.2172/6931402.
Blackett, R E, Shubat, M A, Bishop, C E, Chapman, D S, Forster, C B, & Schlinger, C M. The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah. United States. doi:10.2172/6931402.
Blackett, R E, Shubat, M A, Bishop, C E, Chapman, D S, Forster, C B, and Schlinger, C M. Thu .
"The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah". United States. doi:10.2172/6931402. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6931402.
@article{osti_6931402,
title = {The Newcastle geothermal system, Iron County, Utah},
author = {Blackett, R E and Shubat, M A and Bishop, C E and Chapman, D S and Forster, C B and Schlinger, C M},
abstractNote = {Geological, geophysical and geochemical studies contributed to conceptual hydrologic model of the blind'' (no surface expression), moderate-temperature (greater than 130{degree}C) Newcastle geothermal system, located in the Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau transition zone of southwestern Utah. Temperature gradient measurements define a thermal anomaly centered near the surface trace of the range-bounding Antelope Range fault with and elongate dissipative plume extending north into the adjacent Escalante Valley. Spontaneous potential and resistivity surveys sharply define the geometry of the dominant upflow zone (not yet explored), indicating that most of the thermal fluid issues form a short segment along the Antelope Range fault and discharges into a gently-dipping aquifer. Production wells show that this aquifer lies at a depth between 85 and 95 meter. Electrical surveys also show that some leakage of thermal fluid occurs over a 1.5 km (minimum) interval along the trace of the Antelope Range fault. Major element, oxygen and hydrogen isotopic analyses of water samples indicate that the thermal fluid is a mixture of meteoric water derived from recharge areas in the Pine Valley Mountains and cold, shallow groundwater. A northwest-southeast trending system of faults, encompassing a zone of increased fracture permeability, collects meteoric water from the recharge area, allows circulation to a depth of 3 to 5 kilometers, and intersects the northeast-striking Antelope Range fault. We postulate that mineral precipitates form a seal along the Antelope Range fault, preventing the discharge of thermal fluids into basin-fill sediments at depth, and allowing heated fluid to approach the surface. Eventually, continued mineral deposition could result in the development of hot springs at the ground surface.},
doi = {10.2172/6931402},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1990},
month = {3}
}