Mineralogical and geochemical effects due to hydrothermal alteration in the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico

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Main Author: Kailasa Pandarinath
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2007
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author Kailasa Pandarinath
author_facet Kailasa Pandarinath
contents Mineralogical and geochemical effects due to hydrothermal alteration in the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico Kailasa Pandarinath Peter Dulski Ignacio S. Torres Alvarado Surendra P. Verma Ciencias de la Tierra REE HFSE water Mexico Los Azufres To investigate the effects of hydrothermal alteration on the chemistry of volcanic rocks, we analyzedthe whole rock chemical composition (major and trace elements, including rare-earth elements – REE)of two distinct portions of a drill well core sample from the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico. Thishighly hydrothermally-altered sample allowed us to study, for the first time, the mineralogical andchemical effects imposed by hydrothermal alteration on the mm scale in this important geothermal system.Mineralogically, hydrothermal alteration in the sample is mainly represented by chloritization of primaryolivine and pyroxene, argillitization of primary plagioclase, as well as banded chlorite and quartz, withsignificant amounts of epidote and hematite. The "altered" part of the sample contains intensely alteredremnants of the fresh rock, which show intense silicification, hematization, and dissolution boundaries.Most major and trace elements were mobilized from the original rock. Major element compositionreflects the silicification, chloritization, and epidotization processes taking place in the geothermalsystem. The rare-earth elements La and Ce, as well as Yb and Lu were probably partially re-depositedduring alteration. The positive anomaly of Eu may suggest that Eu is being concentrated in hydrothermalepidote after its release from plagioclase to the geothermal fluid. The high-field strength elements suchas Zr, Ti, and P, show as well significant hydrothermal alteration-related decrease in the highly-alteredrock. The geothermal fluid responsible for this hydrothermal alteration was probably oxidizing, of hightemperature (>250º C), and enriched in REE and other trace elements. 2007 artículo científico 1026-8774 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57224102 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=572 Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas application/pdf Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas (México) Num.1 Vol.24
format Artículo científico
id redalyc_57224102
institution Redalyc
language en
publishDate 2007
publisher Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
spellingShingle Mineralogical and geochemical effects due to hydrothermal alteration in the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico
Kailasa Pandarinath
Ciencias de la Tierra
REE
HFSE
water
Mexico
Los Azufres
Mineralogical and geochemical effects due to hydrothermal alteration in the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico Kailasa Pandarinath Peter Dulski Ignacio S. Torres Alvarado Surendra P. Verma Ciencias de la Tierra REE HFSE water Mexico Los Azufres To investigate the effects of hydrothermal alteration on the chemistry of volcanic rocks, we analyzedthe whole rock chemical composition (major and trace elements, including rare-earth elements – REE)of two distinct portions of a drill well core sample from the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico. Thishighly hydrothermally-altered sample allowed us to study, for the first time, the mineralogical andchemical effects imposed by hydrothermal alteration on the mm scale in this important geothermal system.Mineralogically, hydrothermal alteration in the sample is mainly represented by chloritization of primaryolivine and pyroxene, argillitization of primary plagioclase, as well as banded chlorite and quartz, withsignificant amounts of epidote and hematite. The "altered" part of the sample contains intensely alteredremnants of the fresh rock, which show intense silicification, hematization, and dissolution boundaries.Most major and trace elements were mobilized from the original rock. Major element compositionreflects the silicification, chloritization, and epidotization processes taking place in the geothermalsystem. The rare-earth elements La and Ce, as well as Yb and Lu were probably partially re-depositedduring alteration. The positive anomaly of Eu may suggest that Eu is being concentrated in hydrothermalepidote after its release from plagioclase to the geothermal fluid. The high-field strength elements suchas Zr, Ti, and P, show as well significant hydrothermal alteration-related decrease in the highly-alteredrock. The geothermal fluid responsible for this hydrothermal alteration was probably oxidizing, of hightemperature (>250º C), and enriched in REE and other trace elements. 2007 artículo científico 1026-8774 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57224102 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=572 Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas application/pdf Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas (México) Num.1 Vol.24
title Mineralogical and geochemical effects due to hydrothermal alteration in the Los Azufres geothermal field, Mexico
topic Ciencias de la Tierra
REE
HFSE
water
Mexico
Los Azufres
url https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=57224102