Chemistry of thermal waters and mineralogy of the new deposits at Mount St. Helens: a preliminary report

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5052896· OSTI ID:5052896

Dethier, D P; Frank, D; Peavear, D R

After May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, interactions between the hot deposits and shallow ground water produced ephemeral phreatic eruptions and thermal ponds and streams. In early June water and sediment samples were collected from about 20 sites in the devastated zone to study the initial alteration of the new deposits, and the effects of the eruption on water chemistry. The levels of certain trace elements in thermal waters, and whether these mineralized waters were reaching the North Fork Toutle River in appreciable quantities were studied. Collection and analysis procedures, the mineralogy of the new deposits, and the chemistry of the thermal waters are discussed. Finally, the chemistry of water from different deposits is compared, alteration reactions suggested by the water chemistry, and the mineralogy of the deposits is discussed.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Seattle, WA (USA); Western Washington Univ., Bellingham (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5052896
• Report Number(s): USGS-OFR-81-80; ON: DE82906222
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
58 GEOSCIENCES
DEPOSITS
MINERALOGY
MT ST HELENS
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
THERMAL WATERS
WATER CHEMISTRY
TRACE AMOUNTS
VOLCANISM
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHEMISTRY
FEDERAL REGION X
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
SURVEYS
USA
WASHINGTON
Geothermal Legacy
150302* - Geothermal Exploration & Exploration Technology- Geochemical Techniques & Surveys
580202 - Geophysics- Volcanology- (1980-1989)