Hydrochemical Characteristics and Genetic Mechanism of Geothermal Springs in the Aba Area, Western Sichuan Province, China

Minglu Sun, Xu Zhang (), Xingcheng Yuan, Zhongyou Yu, Yao Xiao, Ying Wang and Yunhui Zhang ()
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Minglu Sun: College of Engineering, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
Xu Zhang: Chengdu Center of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, Sichuan Bureau of Geology & Mineral Exploration & Development, Chengdu 610081, China
Xingcheng Yuan: Yibin Research Institute, Southwest Jiaotong University, Yibin 644000, China
Zhongyou Yu: Chengdu Center of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, Sichuan Bureau of Geology & Mineral Exploration & Development, Chengdu 610081, China
Yao Xiao: Chengdu Center of Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, Sichuan Bureau of Geology & Mineral Exploration & Development, Chengdu 610081, China
Ying Wang: College of Engineering, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
Yunhui Zhang: Yibin Research Institute, Southwest Jiaotong University, Yibin 644000, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-21

Abstract: Geothermal resources have been a source of significant clean energy in the world. The Sichuan Province is famous for its abundant geothermal resources in China, especially in western Sichuan. The Aba area is a significant minority region in northwestern Sichuan with abundant geothermal resources. In this study, hydrochemical and D-O analyses were conducted on the eight collected geothermal springs to investigate the genetic mechanism of the geothermal resource in the Aba area. The exposed temperatures and pH values of the geothermal springs ranged from 23 °C to 48 °C and from 6.6 to 9.5, respectively. Based on the hydrochemical characteristics, the eight geothermal springs were classified into two types: class A and class B. The class A geothermal springs belonged to the hydrochemical type of Ca-Mg-HCO 3 -SO 4 and Ca-Mg-HCO 3 and were affected by the weathering and dissolution of carbonate and silicate. The class B hydrochemical type of geothermal spring was Na-HCO 3 , which was determined by the weathering and dissolution of evaporite and silicate. A Na-K-Mg triangle diagram revealed that the geothermal springs belonged to immature water. A chalcedony geothermometer indicated that the temperature of the class A shallow geothermal reservoir in the Aba area was 59.70–73.00 °C and 70.65–120.91 °C for class B. Silicon enthalpy approaches showed that the initial reservoir temperature for class A was 181.36–203.07 °C (mixed by 85.76–89.44% cold water) and 271.74–295.58 °C (mixed by 87.39–87.54% cold water) for class B. The recharge elevation of the geothermal spring was 3415–3495 m as calculated by the D-O isotopes. We have proposed these genetic models of the two typical geothermal springs. The achievements provide a vital reference for the further development of geothermal water and the sustainable utilization of geothermal resources in the Aba area.

Keywords: hydrochemistry; D-O isotope; reservoir temperature; recharge source; genetic model; Aba area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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