Hydrogeochemical Characteristics and Evolution of Hot Springs in Eastern Tibetan Plateau Geothermal Belt, Western China: Insight from Multivariate Statistical Analysis

The eastern Tibetan Plateau geothermal belt is one of the important medium-high temperature geothermal belts in China. However, less work has been done on the hydrochemical characteristic and its geological origin. Understanding the chemical characteristics and the hydrochemical evolution processes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geofluids 2017-01, Vol.2017 (2017), p.1-11
Main Authors: Mu, Wenqing, Xu, Qingyu, Wang, Guangcai, Liao, Fu, Shi, Zheming, Sun, Xiaoyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Cation exchange
Cation exchanging
Cations
Chemical analysis
Chemistry
Cluster analysis
Contamination
Earth science
Earthquakes
Evolution
Factor analysis
Fault lines
Fault zones
Faults
Five year plans
Geology
Geothermal energy
Geothermal power
Groundwater
High temperature
Hot springs
Hydrogeochemistry
Hydrology
Marine environment
Metamorphic rocks
Multivariate statistical analysis
Plateaus
Principal components analysis
Properties
Shallow water
Statistical analysis
Statistical methods
Volcanic ash, tuff, etc
Volcanic rocks
Water springs
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Summary:The eastern Tibetan Plateau geothermal belt is one of the important medium-high temperature geothermal belts in China. However, less work has been done on the hydrochemical characteristic and its geological origin. Understanding the chemical characteristics and the hydrochemical evolution processes is important in evaluating the geothermal energy potential in this area. In the present study, we discussed the hydrochemical properties and their origins of 39 hot springs located in the eastern Tibetan Plateau geothermal belt (Kangding-Litang-Batang geothermal belt). Cluster analysis and factor analysis are employed to character the hydrochemical properties of hot springs in different fault zones and the possible hydrochemical evolution processes of these hot springs. Our study shows that the hot springs can be divided into three groups based on their locations. The hot springs in the first group mainly originate from the volcanic rock and the springs in the second group originate from the metamorphic rock while the springs in the third group originate from the result of mixture of shallow water. Water-rock interaction, cation exchange, and the water environment are the three dominant factors that control the hydrochemical evolution process in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. These results are also in well agreement with the isotopic and chemical analysis.
ISSN:1468-8115
1468-8123
DOI:10.1155/2017/6546014