O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China

The Gudui geothermal field records the highest temperature at equivalent borehole depths among the mainland hydrothermal systems in mainland China. Located about 150 ​km southeast of Lhasa City, the capital of Tibet, the Gudui geothermal field belongs to the Sangri–Cuona rift belt, also known as the...

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Main Authors: Chenguang Wang, Mianping Zheng, Xuefei Zhang, Enyuan Xing, Jiangyi Zhang, Jianhong Ren, Yuan Ling
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-07-01
Series:Geoscience Frontiers
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119301951
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author Chenguang Wang
Mianping Zheng
Xuefei Zhang
Enyuan Xing
Jiangyi Zhang
Jianhong Ren
Yuan Ling
author_facet Chenguang Wang
Mianping Zheng
Xuefei Zhang
Enyuan Xing
Jiangyi Zhang
Jianhong Ren
Yuan Ling
author_sort Chenguang Wang
collection DOAJ
description The Gudui geothermal field records the highest temperature at equivalent borehole depths among the mainland hydrothermal systems in mainland China. Located about 150 ​km southeast of Lhasa City, the capital of Tibet, the Gudui geothermal field belongs to the Sangri–Cuona rift belt, also known as the Sangri–Cuona geothermal belt, and is representative of the non-volcanic geothermal systems in the Himalayas. In this study, oxygen-18 and deuterium isotope compositions as well as 87Sr/86Sr ratios of water samples collected from the Gudui geothermal field were characterized to understand the origin and mixing processes of the geothermal fluids at Gudui. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope plots show both, deep and shallow reservoirs in the Gudui geothermal field. Deep geothermal fluids are the mixing product of magmatic and infiltrating snow-melt water. Calculations show that the magma fluid component of the deep geothermal fluids account for about 21.10%–24.04%; magma fluids may also be a contributing source of lithium. The linear relationship of the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio versus the 1/Sr plot indicates that shallow geothermal fluids form from the mixing of deep geothermal fluids with cold groundwater. Using a binary mixing model with deep geothermal fluid and cold groundwater as two end-members, the mixing ratios of the latter in most surface hot springs samples were calculated to be between 5% and 10%. Combined with basic geological characteristics, hydrogen and oxygen isotope characteristics, strontium concentration, 87Sr/86Sr ratios, and the binary mixing model, we infer the 6th-Class Reservoirs Evolution Conceptual Model (6-CRECM) for the Gudui geothermal system. This model represents an idealized summary of the characteristics of the Gudui geothermal field based on our comprehensive understanding of the origin and mixing processes of the geothermal fluid in Gudui. This study may aid in identifying the geothermal and geochemical origin of the Gudui high-temperature hydrothermal systems in remote Tibet of China, whose potential for geothermal development and utilization is enormous and untapped.
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spelling doaj.art-65eddf23707c4e8bab3f21a574ec144f2023-09-02T19:22:47ZengElsevierGeoscience Frontiers1674-98712020-07-0111411751187O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, ChinaChenguang Wang0Mianping Zheng1Xuefei Zhang2Enyuan Xing3Jiangyi Zhang4Jianhong Ren5Yuan Ling6MLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environments, Institute of Mineral Resources, CAGS, Beijing, 100037, ChinaMLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environments, Institute of Mineral Resources, CAGS, Beijing, 100037, China; Corresponding author.MLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environments, Institute of Mineral Resources, CAGS, Beijing, 100037, ChinaMLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environments, Institute of Mineral Resources, CAGS, Beijing, 100037, ChinaHydrochemistry and Environmental Laboratory, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geoscience (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, ChinaMLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environments, Institute of Mineral Resources, CAGS, Beijing, 100037, ChinaThe Gudui geothermal field records the highest temperature at equivalent borehole depths among the mainland hydrothermal systems in mainland China. Located about 150 ​km southeast of Lhasa City, the capital of Tibet, the Gudui geothermal field belongs to the Sangri–Cuona rift belt, also known as the Sangri–Cuona geothermal belt, and is representative of the non-volcanic geothermal systems in the Himalayas. In this study, oxygen-18 and deuterium isotope compositions as well as 87Sr/86Sr ratios of water samples collected from the Gudui geothermal field were characterized to understand the origin and mixing processes of the geothermal fluids at Gudui. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope plots show both, deep and shallow reservoirs in the Gudui geothermal field. Deep geothermal fluids are the mixing product of magmatic and infiltrating snow-melt water. Calculations show that the magma fluid component of the deep geothermal fluids account for about 21.10%–24.04%; magma fluids may also be a contributing source of lithium. The linear relationship of the 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratio versus the 1/Sr plot indicates that shallow geothermal fluids form from the mixing of deep geothermal fluids with cold groundwater. Using a binary mixing model with deep geothermal fluid and cold groundwater as two end-members, the mixing ratios of the latter in most surface hot springs samples were calculated to be between 5% and 10%. Combined with basic geological characteristics, hydrogen and oxygen isotope characteristics, strontium concentration, 87Sr/86Sr ratios, and the binary mixing model, we infer the 6th-Class Reservoirs Evolution Conceptual Model (6-CRECM) for the Gudui geothermal system. This model represents an idealized summary of the characteristics of the Gudui geothermal field based on our comprehensive understanding of the origin and mixing processes of the geothermal fluid in Gudui. This study may aid in identifying the geothermal and geochemical origin of the Gudui high-temperature hydrothermal systems in remote Tibet of China, whose potential for geothermal development and utilization is enormous and untapped.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119301951Geothermal fluidOxygen-18 and deuterium isotope87Sr/86Sr ratioOrigin and mixingGuduiHimalayas
spellingShingle Chenguang Wang
Mianping Zheng
Xuefei Zhang
Enyuan Xing
Jiangyi Zhang
Jianhong Ren
Yuan Ling
O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
Geoscience Frontiers
Geothermal fluid
Oxygen-18 and deuterium isotope
87Sr/86Sr ratio
Origin and mixing
Gudui
Himalayas
title O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
title_full O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
title_fullStr O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
title_full_unstemmed O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
title_short O, H, and Sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the Gudui geothermal system, Himalayas, China
title_sort o h and sr isotope evidence for origin and mixing processes of the gudui geothermal system himalayas china
topic Geothermal fluid
Oxygen-18 and deuterium isotope
87Sr/86Sr ratio
Origin and mixing
Gudui
Himalayas
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987119301951
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