Chemical and isotopic evolution of groundwater through the active Andean arc of Northern Chile

Godfrey, Linda; Herrera, Christian; Gamboa, Carolina; Mathur, Ryan

doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2019.04.011

Cited by 39 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 77 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Almost all samples have 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios between 0.7075 and 0.7095, overlapping with the ignimbrite group from the Upper Loa basin [13]. In general, the northern catchment area of the salar has water with higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr than the southern catchments [1], with water draining through the eastern alluvial fans having intermediate compositions.…”

Section: Strontium Isotope Compositionsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Within the neighboring drainage system of the upper Loa river system, it was found that the impact of brine and evaporite dissolution on groundwater geochemistry was important in water draining ignimbrite-covered areas ("Ignimbrite group"), but not in water that only drained stratovolcanoes along the Loa river ("Loa group") [13]. δ 7 Li and Na/Li data for water entering the southeast part of the salar reported by Munk et al [1], plot on a line whose δ 7 Li and Na/Li was similar to the "Loa group" but not the "Ignimbrite" group, even though the eastern flanks of the salar are draped by the thick and extensive ignimbrites of the Miocene-Pliocene age.…”

Section: Background To the Salar De Atacamamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure 2. Durov figure including data from the Salar de Atacama (this study),the Loa groundwater basin [13], the Monturaqui-Negrillar-Tilopozo aquifer [35], neighboring basins Capur, Tuyaito and Aguas Calientes 3 [11], plus important regional thermal water [40,41].…”

Section: Elemental Characterization Of Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This study also focusses on a part of the salar, its broader southern half and drainage system, because this part of the salar is where most of the extraction of the Li brine occurs. In addition to the Li isotopes, we include the B and Sr isotope systems studied in the neighboring upper Loa basin [13]. Li and B isotopic tracers are strongly influenced by geochemical processes, such as temperatures of weathering and formation of secondary phases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carbonate and many borate minerals preferentially incorporate B in tetrahedral coordination, which is enriched in 10 B [14][15][16][17]. If these minerals later dissolve, they decrease the water's δ 11 B, assuming that water was isotopically similar to the water from which they originally precipitated [13]. Sr isotopes are included to address the role of lithology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Volcanic and Saline Lithium Inputs to the Salar de Atacama

Godfrey

Álvarez-Amado

2020

Minerals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Li-rich brine contained within the halite body of the Salar de Atacama is uncommon for two reasons: First, it has an exceptionally high Li concentration, even compared to other closed basins in the Li triangle of South America; and second, it is widespread within the halite nucleus and not restricted to a localized area. This study focusses on the southern half of the salar where Li production occurs and draws comparisons with its northern neighboring basin through which the Loa river flows. Concentration and isotope data for water inflowing to this part of the salar were obtained from surface inflow as well as wells located within the alluvial fans on its eastern margin. Lithium varies between 0.2 and 20 mg/L before reaching the salar where small amounts of the brine and or salts that precipitated from it can increase its concentration up to 400 mg/L or higher. The δ7Li of the inflow water varies between +4.9‰ and +11.2‰ and increases to +12.6‰ within the salar margin, consistent with salar brine based on reported measurements. Boron isotopes indicate that it is unlikely that solutes are derived from sedimentary evaporites or mineral cements, unlike the situation in the adjacent Loa basin. Water that flows through an aquifer laterally confined by a basement block and a line of volcanoes has a notably higher δ7Li than other inflow water, around +9‰, and increasing to +10.5‰. δ7Li values are overall higher than were measured in the adjacent Loa basin, indicating that here the water–rock reactions for Li are more evolved due to longer residence times. Lithium concentrations increased with sodium and chloride, but sedimentary evaporites are shown to be unimportant from δ11B. This is accounted for two ways: evaporated saline inflow leaks from higher elevation basins and inflows are partly derived from or modified by active volcanic systems. Active and dormant volcanoes plus the massive Altiplano–Puna magmatic body are important as heat sources, which enhance water–rock reactions. The large topographic difference between the mean elevation of Altiplano on which these volcanoes sit and the salar surface allows hydrothermal fluids, which would otherwise stay deep below the surface under the modern arc, to uplift at the salar.

show abstract

Section: Strontium Isotope Compositionsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Background To the Salar De Atacamamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Elemental Characterization Of Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Volcanic and Saline Lithium Inputs to the Salar de Atacama

Godfrey

Álvarez-Amado

2020

Minerals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Hydrochemical and isotopic evaluation of groundwater and river water in the transboundary Silala River watershed

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article reviews a hydro‐chemical and isotopic study aiming to provide information about groundwater‐surface water interactions in the Silala River, a transboundary basin shared between Chile and Bolivia. The chemical and isotopic data show: The springs located in the northern section of the lower course of the Silala River and the Cajones springs in Bolivia have similar characteristics and represent a shallow flow system feed by local recharge; In contrast, the springs located in the higher and southern sections of the lower course of the river have similar characteristics than the Orientales springs located in the higher part of river basin indicating these springs are associated with a high‐altitude recharge area. The river in the upper course in Chile has similar chemical and isotopic characteristics to the springs already mentioned, indicating most of the river flow comes from the high part of the basin in Bolivia. The groundwater shows different chemical characteristics, similar depleted isotopic values, and much lower 14C values (including Orientales groundwater) than the upper springs and river, providing the first evidence that both systems are not connected in the Chilean section of the river and the springs system is part of a perched aquifer confirmed by visual field observations. These data support a conceptual model which includes an interaction between a perched aquifer, probably in alluvial deposits on the flanks of the volcanoes, and the river as result of a complex system of fractures present in the near‐surface levels of Silala Ignimbrite. This study provides valuable information for modeling of hydrological and hydrogeological data in the study area.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Hydrological Processes Science of Water > Water Quality

show abstract

Lithium and Sr isotopic composition of salar deposits in the Central Andes across space and time: the Salar de Pozuelos, Argentina

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Central Andes of South America host the largest known lithium resources in a confined area, but the primary lithium sources of the salar deposits and the mobilisation process of lithium are still a matter of speculation. Chemical weathering at or near the surface and leaching in hydrothermal systems of the active magmatic arc are considered the two main mechanisms of Li extraction from the source rock. The lithium and strontium isotope composition of typical salar deposits offer insights into the processes on how Li brine deposits in Andean evaporites are formed. Data from the Salar de Pozuelos indicate near-surface chemical weathering in a cold and dry climate as the dominant mobilisation process of Li, with evaporation being responsible for the enrichment. The Cenozoic ignimbrites are the favoured source rock for the Li, with subordinate additions from the Palaeozoic basement. The identification of the source rocks is supported by radiogenic Nd and Pb and stable B isotope data from salar deposits. A comparison with other Li brine and salt deposits in the Altiplano-Puna Plateau and its western foothills places the Salar de Pozuelos as an endmember of Li solubilisation by chemical weathering with only minor hydrothermal mobilisation of Li.

show abstract

Chemical and isotopic evolution of groundwater through the active Andean arc of Northern Chile

Cited by 39 publications

References 77 publications

Volcanic and Saline Lithium Inputs to the Salar de Atacama

Volcanic and Saline Lithium Inputs to the Salar de Atacama

Hydrochemical and isotopic evaluation of groundwater and river water in the transboundary Silala River watershed

Lithium and Sr isotopic composition of salar deposits in the Central Andes across space and time: the Salar de Pozuelos, Argentina

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About