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Geochemistry and petrology of surface samples, six boreholes and brines from the Salton Sea geothermal field: A natural analog of a nuclear waste repository in salt: Report No. 3

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7120667
Cuttings from six wells in the Salton Sea geothermal field, and rocks at outcrop that are correlative in age with those encountered at depth in the wells were analyzed in detail. Mineralogy, petrography, x-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, instrumental neutron activation analysis, fission track radiography, oxygen and stable carbon isotopic, uranium-thorium series disequilibrium, and fluid inclusion analyses are reported. Where fluids were being produced from wells, brine chemistry as well as stable isotope and uranium-thorium series analyses are reported. Particular attention has been paid to defining zones of fluid-rock interaction in which analyses of coexisting geothermal reservoir brine and hydrothermally altered sediments could be acquired. A wide span of temperatures, from surficial to greater than 300/degree/C, and salinities ranging from relatively dilute ground waters up to brines of 25 wt% total dissolved solids, span a range of environments that might be encountered in a waste repository in salt. Progressive hydrothermal alteration, mineral formation and element mobility are documented in the data presented. 52 refs., 25 figs., 49 tabs.
Research Organization:
Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (USA). Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-87CH10290; AC06-76RL01830; AC02-83CH10140
OSTI ID:
7120667
Report Number(s):
BMI/ONWI-223; UCR/IGPP-87/4; ON: TI88016597
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English