Assessment of the geothermal potential of southwestern New Mexico. Final report, July 1, 1978-April 30, 1980
Results are reported of geologic mapping of geothermal anomalies in the Gila Hot Springs KGRA/Mimbres Hot Springs area, Grant County. They suggest that both hot-spring occurrences are structurally controlled by the intersection of a major Basin and Range fault and the disturbed margin of an ash-flow tuff cauldron. Hydrothermal alteration in both areas is related to mid-Tertiary volcanism, not to modern hot springs. At Gila Hot Springs, the geothermal aquifer is a zone at the contact between the unwelded top of a major ash-flow tuff sheet (Bloodgood Canyon Rhyolite Tuff) and a succession of interlayered vesicular basaltic andesite flows and thin sandstone beds (Bearwallow Mountain Formation). Scattered groups of natural hot springs occur at intersections of this zone and the faults bordering the northeastern side of the Gila Hot Springs graben. Hydrothermal alteration of Bloodgood Canyon Rhyolite Tuff near major faults seems to have increased its permeability. At Mimbres Hot Springs, a single group of hot springs is controlled by the intersection of the Mimbres Hot Springs fault and a fractured welded ash-flow tuff that fills the Emory cauldron (Kneeling Nun Tuff). Gila Hot Springs and Mimbres Hot Springs do not seem to be connected by throughgoing faults. At both localities, hot spring water is used locally for space heating and domestic hot water; at Gila Hot Springs, water of 65.6/sup 0/C (150/sup 0/F) is used to generate electricity by means of a 10 kw freon Rankine Cycle engine. This is the first such application in New Mexico.
- Research Organization:
- New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque (USA). Dept. of Geology; New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6054165
- Report Number(s):
- NP-1904017; EMD-2-67-2123; ON: DE81904017
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
HOT SPRINGS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
NEW MEXICO
BASALT
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGY
GEOTHERMAL SPACE HEATING
GEOTHERMAL WATER HEATING
HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION
KGRA
MAPPING
POWER GENERATION
RANKINE CYCLE ENGINES
SANDSTONES
STRATIGRAPHY
THERMAL WATERS
TUFF
ENGINES
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
HEAT ENGINES
HEATING
IGNEOUS ROCKS
NORTH AMERICA
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOUTHWEST REGION
SPACE HEATING
SURVEYS
THERMAL SPRINGS
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WATER HEATING
WATER SPRINGS
Geothermal Legacy
150201* - Geology & Hydrology of Geothermal Systems- USA- (-1989)
151000 - Geothermal Energy- Direct Energy Utilization
299003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation- Other- (-1989)