Geology of the Colado Geothermal Area, Pershing County, Nevada
The Colado geothermal area in south-central Pershing County, Nevada is defined by hot water wells in alluvium just west of the West Humboldt Range. Geothermal gradient holes have encountered temperatures up to 113.5/sup 0/C at a depth of 76 m (250 ft) with a gradient reversal in the alluvium below this depth. The West Humboldt Range consists mainly of Triassic to Jurassic slaty shale to quartzite of the Auld Lang Syne Group. Carbonate rocks of the Jurassic Lovelock Formation have been thrust over pelitic rocks on the south end of the area. Erosional remnants of Tertiary tuffs and sediments overlay the metasediments in the West Humboldt Range. The principal structures are high-angle faults striking north-northwest, northeast and north-south. The horst-to-graben transition along the range front consists of several step faults trending irregularly north. The structural pattern in the west edge of the range probably continues to the west under the Quaterary alluvium where the source of the hot water is located. Thermal waters probably rise along a major fault intersection in the Mesozoic rocks then spread out in an aquifer in the alluvium. Several thrust faults are exposed south of Coal Canyon, and a structural break in the Mesozoic rock exists under the canyon. Several low-angle faults are present north of Coal Canyon but their effect, if any, on the geothermal occurrence is not known.
- Research Organization:
- Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (USA). Earth Science Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-79ID12079
- OSTI ID:
- 5028958
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID/12079-8; ESL-38
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
NEVADA
GEOLOGY
AQUIFERS
BOREHOLES
CARBONATE ROCKS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
KGRA
LITHOLOGY
PERMEABILITY
THERMAL WATERS
CAVITIES
NORTH AMERICA
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
WELLS
WESTERN REGION
Geothermal Legacy
150201* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems- USA- (-1989)